Rachel’s area of focus has been wildfire smoke and its effects on building materials. She is studying how the properties of indoor materials, especially drywall, influence the persistence of wildfire-related VOCs. While at Aerodyne, she found that paint on drywall can be a double-edged sword when it comes to reducing exposure to smoke-sourced VOCs. It serves as a barrier that limits the penetration of VOCs from room air into the gypsum layer of the wall. However, for VOCs that do make their way into the drywall, the paint can trap them inside the material for longer periods, potentially prolonging their release back into the indoor environment.