Bingham Research Center Hires Senior Air Quality Scientist

VERNAL, Utah — John Lawson has joined Utah State University Uintah Basin and the Bingham Research Center as a senior air quality scientist. Lawson joined the center on Sept. 15.

“John brings an incredible wealth of research and environmental experience to the position and a strong commitment to being part of the academic and larger community,” said James Y. Taylor, senior associate vice president for USU Uintah Basin. “The campus and community will benefit from his decision to join the Bingham Research Center.”

Lawson joins USU Uintah Basin after spending the last year as a staff meteorologist and instructor at Valparaiso University in Indiana. His goal is to make strong contributions to improving air quality predictions in the Uintah Basin. He hopes to use traditional and new methods, such as AI, to develop solutions that can not only influence air quality in Utah but other regions of the world.

“I’m passionate about pushing the boundaries of how we can use supercomputers to help business and the public prepare for adverse atmospheric conditions,” he said. “I’d also like our team’s work to continue having applications in locations well beyond Utah; I look forward to developing collaborations with local and national stakeholders and researchers as we tackle the important science questions.”

Lawson also hopes to learn how to better convey abstract scientific concepts and solutions to the general public. He feels the lessons learned at the Bingham Research Center need to be shared in ways that are easily understood.

“Public communication is important when connected to a project related to health,” he said. “We should be prepared to represent the university and the research community when reaching out to the community, rather than staying behind our desks, unaware of the larger context.”

Lawson earned a doctorate in meteorology from Iowa State University in 2016 and a master’s degree in meteorology from the University of Utah in 2013.

Originally from England, Lawson has lived in the United States for most of his adult life. In his spare time, he loves to sing and play music, specifically the keyboard and guitar. He earned two Diocese of Durham awards for singing and also has a diploma in classical piano. Lawson is an avid fan of both cricket and soccer.