Aerosol Researchers Received Fissan-Pui-TSI Award
The quadrennial prize honors the long-standing international partnership between Ulrich Pöschl and Hang Su.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Science — General
Ulrich Pöschl and Hang Su were awarded the 2026 Fissan-Pui-TSI Award for their collaborative research on atmospheric chemistry. The prize acknowledges their work identifying how multiphase chemistry feedback loops influence the production of particulate matter.
Why it matters
The award highlights the critical role of sustained international collaboration in solving complex atmospheric problems. Their joint efforts have successfully integrated field data with theoretical models to better understand aerosol formation.
The award, which carries a 10,000 USD cash prize, is granted every four years. It recognizes the pair's twenty-year effort to integrate laboratory experiments with theoretical modeling and field observations.
The players
Ulrich Pöschl
Director at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, specializing in atmospheric chemistry and particle research.
Hang Su
Director at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, focused on aerosol-cloud interactions and atmospheric modeling.
The details
The researchers developed methods to map multiphase chemistry feedback loops—complex interactions where aerosol particles chemically react with gas-phase substances to form new particles. By integrating numerical modeling with field observations, their research elucidates how these feedback mechanisms affect the concentration of particulate matter in the atmosphere.
Timeline
The Fissan-Pui-TSI Award was presented to Pöschl and Su in 2026.
The researchers have collaborated for more than 20 years.
The Tech Race
The Fissan-Pui-TSI Award is presented by the International Aerosol Research Assembly to promote global unity in atmospheric science. It serves as a benchmark for long-term collaborative success, differentiating itself from shorter-term research grants.
This research provides the fundamental data required for governments to refine air quality standards and public health policy. Residents in industrialized regions stand to benefit as these models allow for more accurate monitoring and mitigation of particulate pollution.
The takeaway
The recognition of Pöschl and Su underscores the necessity of interdisciplinary approaches to solving global environmental challenges. Observers can track the next cycle of the award in 2030 to see how international collaborations continue to evolve.
Further reading
For more on the latest developments in atmospheric study, browse the Science — General section.
