Postdoctoral Researcher | University of Washington, Seattle, USA | July 2022 – Present

Mentor: Prof. Julian D. Marshall

• Developed and applied atmospheric chemistry models (InMAP-ISRM) to assess air pollution exposure disparities.

• Led exposure analysis for local and regional emission-reduction policy scenarios.

• Collaborated with diverse teams including researchers, policymakers and community partners to advance air quality research.

• Contributed to multiple manuscripts on PM2.5-related health impacts in Washington state and across the U.S.

Air Quality Consultant | Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), Bengaluru, India | January 2022 – June 2022

• Conducted regional air quality assessments using advanced models such as WRF-Chem.

• Developed high-resolution emission inventories for the Indian region using proxy-based spatial allocation methods.

• Assessed the impact of air pollutants on public health and environmental quality.

• Interpreted local, state, and national environmental regulations and prepared detailed compliance reports, including air permitting documentation.

2016-2022 PhD in Climate Studies | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India.

Supervisor: Prof. Chandra Venkataraman.

Thesis: Aerosol Emissions and Radiative Forcing Impacts: Feedback to Surface–Atmosphere Composition and

Temperature.

2014 – 2016 Master of Engineering in Computer Science and Engineering | PEC University of Technology, Chandigarh, India.

Supervisor: Prof. Divya Bansal.

Thesis: Analyzing and Characterising Malware on the Basis of Behavioral Attributes.

2010 – 2014 Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering | Punjab Technical University, India

Instructor – GCIL Course (Grand Challenges Impact Lab), University of Washington (Fall 2024 &

Winter 2025)

• Designed project-based learning modules in collaboration with NGOs in India, focused on sustainability and environmental problem-solving.

• Mentored 20+ students throughout real-world projects, guiding technical research and strategic thinking.

Lecturer – Air Quality Modeling Course, University of Washington (Spring 2024)

• Delivered lectures on Python, AERMOD, and ISRM-based exposure modeling, integrating modeling tools with environmental health topics.

• Developed and assessed assignments emphasizing regulatory compliance and data-driven decision making.

Teaching Assistant – Climate Change, Atmospheric Chemistry & Aerosol Technology Courses, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (2016–2022)

• Supported teaching in Climate Change, Atmospheric Chemistry, and Aerosol Technology courses.

• Facilitated lab sessions, student discussions, and project evaluations, ensuring clarity in complex scientific concepts.

Journals: Google scholar link 

Sharma A., Mondal A., Dhasmana M., Tiwari D., Venkataraman C., (2025). Particulate air pollution aggravated dry and moist heat stress during the 2015 mega heatwave in India. (Under review Nature Communication Earth and Environment)

Gupta P., Sarkar D., Singh A., Imam F., Kumar A., Sharma A., Venkataraman C., Liu Y., and Dey S., (2025). Black carbon-attributable mortality and its disparity across the population subgroups in India. (Submitted to Nature Communications)

Sarwar G, Sharma A, et al. Reexamining the impacts of brick-kiln emissions on fine particles. (Submitted to STOTEN)

Sharma A., Landrigan J., Bekbulat B., Min E., Apte JS., and Marshall JD., (2025). Scenarios for Reducing State-level PM2.5 Exposure-Disparities: Washington, USA. (Under preparation).

Bekbulat B., Unal A., Sharma A., Apte JS., and Marshall JD., (2025). Changes in PM2.5-attributable mortality in the US by sector, 2002-2019. (submitted to ERL)

Sharma, A., Venkataraman, C., Muduchuru, K., Singh, V., Kesrkar A., Ghosh,S., and Dey, S., (2023). Aerosol radiative feedback enhances particulate pollution over India: A process understanding. Atmospheric Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2023.119609

Sharma, A., Bhattacharya, A., & C. Venkataraman (2022) Influence of aerosol radiative effects on surface temperature and snow melt in the Himalayan region. Science of The Total Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151299

Sarkar, T., Anand, S., Bhattacharya, A., Sharma, A., Venkataraman, C., Sharma, A., Ganguly, D. and Bhawar, R., (2022). Evaluation of the simulated aerosol optical properties over India: COALESCE model inter-comparison of three GCMs with ground and satellite observations. Science of The Total Environment, p.158442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158442

Bhattacharya A., Venkataraman C., Sarkar T., Sharma AK., Sharma A., Anand S., Ganguly D., Bhawar R., Dey S., Ghosh S., (2022). An Analysis of the Aerosol Lifecycle over India: COALESCE Intercomparison of Three General Circulation Models. Journal of Geophysical Research – Atmospheres. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JD036457

Chowdhury, S., Pozzer, A., Haines, A., Klingmüller, K., Münzel, T., Paasonen, P., Sharma A., Venkataraman C., & J. Lelieveld (2022) Global health burden of ambient PM2. 5 and the contribution of anthropogenic black carbon and organic aerosols. Environment international. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.107020

Sharma, A., Bhattacharya, A. and Venkataraman, C. (2021) Influence of aerosol radiative effects on surface temperature and snow melt in the Himalayan region. Sci. Total Environ., p.151299. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151299

Mondal A., Sah N., Sharma A., Venkataraman C., Patil N. (2020) Absorbing aerosols and high temperature extremes in India: a general circulation modelling study, Int J Climatol., 41, pp.E1498-E1517. doi: 10.1002/joc.6783 

Sharma A., Gandotra E., Bansal D.,  Gupta D. (2019) Malware capability assessment using fuzzy logic, Cybernetics and Systems, 50(4):323– 338. doi: 10.1080/01969722.2018.1552906 

Special Articles and Chapters: 

Sharma, A., & Venkataraman, C., (2025) Air quality case study on the central Indian city of Bhopal, India. In Air Quality Science, Impacts, and Management (Elsevier, Chapter 17.2).

Venkataraman, C., Sharma, A., Tibrewal, K., Maity, S. and Muduchuru, K. (2019) Carbonaceous Aerosol Emissions Sources Dominate India’s Wintertime Air Quality, Environmental Manager (AWMA), December, 17-21. 

Conferences: 

Sharma, A., Landrigan J., Bekbulat B., Min E., Apte JS., and Marshall JD. (2024). "Scenarios for Reducing PM2.5 Exposure-Disparities in Washington State, USA.” 36th Annual Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE), 25–28 August, 2024, Santiago, Chile.

Sharma, A., Landrigan J., Bekbulat B., Min E., Apte JS., and Marshall JD. (2024). "Optimizing Location-based Strategies for Reducing PM2.5 Exposure-Disparities in Washington and in California, USA." 36th Annual Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE), 25–28 August, 2024, Santiago, Chile.

Sharma A., Venkataraman C., Mondal A., and Dhasamana M. Black carbon and dust dominant aerosols intensify heat stress in India. The 13th session of the International Conference on Carbonaceous Particles in the Atmosphere (the “Carbon Conference”), July 9–12, 2023, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA. (platform presentation)

Sharma A., and Venkataraman C. Influence of aerosol radiative effects on temperature and snow cover fraction in the Himalayan region: GCM simulations. American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting, Dec 1-17, 2020., (Virtual Platform  Presentation)

Sharma A., Muduchuru K., Venkataraman C., "Surface PM 2.5 concentrations and its Composition over India using WRF-Chem Simulations", National Environmental Conference (NEC), 31 Jan - 2 Feb 2020, IIT Bombay, India. (platform  presentation)

Sharma A., Venkataraman C., "Influence of recent changes in aerosol abundance on temperature response and snow cover fraction over the Himalayan region", Conference on Indian Aerosol Science and Technology Association(IASTA) on Aerosol Impacts: Health to climate change, 26-28 Nov 2018, IIT Delhi, India. (poster presentation)

Sharma A., Muduchuru K., Patil N., Venkataraman C., "Seasonal Variability in Aerosol Abundance and Effects over Eastern Himalaya", International Conference on Aerosols Climate Change Connections (AC3), 15-27 Apr 2017, Bose Institute, Darjeeling, India. (poster presentation)

Workshops: 

EJ & Air pollution workshop, 7-9 December 2023, UC Berkeley, USA.

Earth Engine workshop, 16-17 October 2023, Seattle, USA.

International Workshop on Chemistry Climate Interaction (IWCCI), 12-15 Mar 2019, IITM Pune. 

International Workshop on Representation of Physical Processes in Weather and Climate Models (INTROSPECT),  13-16 Feb 2017, IITM Pune.