Liora Mael’s research investigates the effects of climate change on cultural heritage institutions, providing leaders in these spaces with support to better care for collections and visitors during extreme weather events. Working at the intersection of sustainability, analytical chemistry, and art conservation, Mael documents the impact of wildfire smoke on cultural heritage collections. She couples low-cost sensor measurements of particulate matter with museum HVAC systems and energy usage data to expand climate controls and improve institutional sustainability. Mael also uses microscopy and vibrational spectroscopy to investigate chemical and physical interactions of smoke with artist materials throughout the conservation process.