Rachel O'Brien
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reobrien.bsky.social
Rachel O'Brien
@reobrien.bsky.social
Environmental Engineer, Atmospheric Chemist, Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan. they/she. opinions are my own.🌈
Our kitty is parked in front of of a heater vent on a heated pad in our guest bedroom. I think we need to make him a sweater.
November 10, 2025 at 11:36 PM
First snow of the season! I like how you get little bursts of color from the red leaves that haven't fallen yet.
November 9, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Interesting to wake up to this the weekend after Halloween. It's a shiny version, but I wonder if someone down the street had this as a decoration 🤡
November 3, 2025 at 6:02 PM
I'm so happy to have served AAAR as secretary for the last 3 years. It was a great honor to work with the other members of the board and especially the presidents: Leah Williams, @vfmcneill.bsky.social , and Amy Sullivan!

They are a wonderful group of leaders and mentors. #AAAR
October 18, 2025 at 12:52 AM
So proud of my group for our first AAAR meeting! We had 3 poster presentations and one platform presentation. AAAR is a great meeting and it was so great to bring students to this fantastic community! #AAAR2025
October 16, 2025 at 8:59 PM
I need a little timeline cleanse. I love the colors of a monarch against a flower. It's so cool how two colors I wouldn't normally pair work so well together in nature.
October 9, 2025 at 1:30 AM
Congratulations to Cora Young, @svocora.bsky.social, for the AGU Ascent award!!
tinyurl.com/5v8fj8b7
September 26, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Kīlauea is showing some intermittent small eruptions that look very pretty in the dark!

Live feed from USGS: m.youtube.com/watch?v=tk0t...
September 19, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Sometimes I look back through my photos and think about all the incredible plants/animals etc. we have on this planet. Why are we not doing everything we can do to protect them and our ecosystems?
September 18, 2025 at 10:31 AM
At the arboretum today enjoying the colors and views at the end of the summer.
September 14, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Happy #Caturday! Here's to weekend naps in the sunshine on a heated pad.
September 13, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Everything is a bit crazy so I wanted to share a timeline cleanse. Here are a few more of my favorite shots from last weekend. I love flowers that are blooming at the end of the summer, you get such a cool variety of colors.
September 11, 2025 at 12:17 AM
We had a visit from a ruby throated hummingbird this evening! I love how you can see the feet tucked up under her body while she sips.
September 7, 2025 at 10:27 PM
I love how fuzzy bumblebees are, and that they can use their entire body to collect pollen.
September 6, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Kīlauea is doing its thing again!
m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqmp...
September 2, 2025 at 10:28 PM
The Matthaei botanical gardens are very pretty at the end of the summer!
August 31, 2025 at 12:17 AM
I sometimes wonder if there are conversations happening between different pollinators.
August 30, 2025 at 12:55 PM
I'm practicing bird photography and I tried to get a picture of this pigeon, but he turned his back to me at the last second.

It's my favorite bird picture so far 😂
August 30, 2025 at 12:48 AM
A photo you took that brings you inner peace.

(The sun setting over the forest in the Southeast US. A band of rain catches some of the fading light.)
August 23, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Kīlauea is erupting and V2cam is particularly cool!

m.youtube.com/watch?v=fiyt...
August 23, 2025 at 12:16 AM
I'm excited to share a 𝗡𝗲𝘄 #𝘌𝘚𝘗𝘐 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗱 Special issue! @rsc.org

This was guest edited by myself and Ellison Carter, and it showcases research that centers around questions of the built environment, featuring the impacts of interdisciplinary approaches.
shorturl.at/pIY0i
August 20, 2025 at 7:46 PM
I was taking pictures of some flowers, and I saw my first green bee. Such a beautiful color!!
August 18, 2025 at 6:14 PM
I love the way the sunlight comes through the petals on this hibiscus flower.
August 12, 2025 at 11:26 PM
A few of my favorite shots from the past week!

Beautiful deep reds and yellows in the daylilies. I love the patterns on the butterfly antenna and the wings of dragonflies are amazing. The Phlox in the last picture is so bright and colorful!

Photos taken at the Atmospheric Chemistry GRC.
August 9, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Having a good time photographing around the Atmospheric Chemistry GRC
August 5, 2025 at 7:28 PM