Ryan Vella's Webpage

I am currently a postdoctoral scientist at ETH Zurich, where I investigate ice-nucleating particles in mixed-phase clouds using global climate models. I completed my PhD at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (MPIC) and the Institute for Atmospheric Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Supervised by Prof. Jos Lelieveld and Prof. Holger Tost, my doctoral research focused on vegetation–climate interactions, specifically the role of biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions in the Earth system. I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics & Mathematics, followed by a Master of Science degree in Geosciences, both from the University of Malta. Prior to beginning my PhD in Mainz, I completed a fellowship in Earth Observation at the European Space Agency (ESA) in Frascati, Italy.

My main research interests include:

• Earth System Modelling
• Aerosol-cloud interactions
• Aerosol-climate interactions
• Land-biosphere-atmosphere interactions
• Biogenic secondary organic aerosols
• Climate dynamics

Other research interests:

• Earth Observation
• Satellite remote sensing
• Shipping emissions
• Light pollution

• [1] Influence of land cover change on atmospheric organic gases, aerosols, and radiative effects, available at:https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-243-2025/
• [2] Changes in biogenic volatile organic compound emissions in response to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, available at: https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4391-2023/
• [3] Isoprene and monoterpene simulations using the chemistry–climate model EMAC (v2.55) with interactive vegetation from LPJ-GUESS (v4.0), available at: https://gmd.copernicus.org/articles/16/885/2023/
• [4] COVID-19-Related Changes in NO2 and O3 Concentrations and Associated Health Effects in Malta, available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/frsc.2021.631280
• [5] A photometric mapping of the night sky brightness of the Maltese islands, available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110196

In Malta, I co-founded and managed the environmental NGO Għaqda Siġar Maltin. I am involved in projects to spread awareness about light pollution and the importance of preserving the remaining Dark Sky Heritage Areas (DSHAs) in Malta. I like to run, hike and take photographs.