Dust generation begins with desiccation of soil, a process that is enhaced by low humidity and high temperature. Using polymer solutions, it has been possible to retard the rate of soil desicaation in laboratory experiments at giees. This lecture focuses on the mathematical formulations that the speaker and his research team have developed to explain mechanisms of interaction between soil and polymer molecules and the implications of such interactions on the effectivenesss of dust palliation. Speaker: Hilary I. Inyang (University of North Carolina)