Abstract View
An Educational Toolkit to Ensure the Successful Operation and Use of Air Quality Sensors by the Public
ASHLEY COLLIER-OXANDALE, Vasileios Papapostolou, Brandon Feenstra, Berj Der Boghossian, Andrea Polidori, South Coast Air Quality Management District
Abstract Number: 477
Working Group: Translating Aerosol Research for Societal Impact: Science Communication and Public Outreach
Abstract
Through the use of air quality sensors, public participation in aerosol research can increase knowledge and awareness of air quality issues and lead to the collection of data that informs actions reducing emissions and exposure. While there has been much research into the performance and capabilities of sensors, there has been less focus on the technology's effectiveness for users. However, issues such as how easy it is to install a sensor are essential as they can directly impact data quality. Under a US EPA funded Science To Achieve Results Grant, titled "Engage, Educate and Empower California Communities on the Use and Applications of Low-Cost Air Monitoring Sensors", the South Coast Air Quality Management District enabled the deployment of nearly 400 sensor units in 14 different communities. Throughout the project, discussions, surveys, and products created by the communities offered the opportunity to gather feedback from the participating communities through an extensive series of community meetings and public workshops about air quality, sensors, and data that collectively informed the development of an Educational Toolkit. The key component of this Toolkit is a comprehensive Guidebook consisting of an introduction to air quality and monitoring, advice for planning a project (including sensor selection), guidance on implementing a project (including sensor siting, procedures for monitoring data quality, and data analysis), and next steps to consider following the completion of a project. Other Toolkit resources include data processing, analysis, and visualization tools, short training videos, surveys, questionnaires, infographics, and sensor installation guides. This Toolkit is intended to help ensure the appropriate use of sensors in community-based air quality projects. Our presentation will highlight key lessons learned regarding communication, provide an overview of the resources in this publicly available Toolkit, and describe how these resources could be leveraged to support public participation in aerosol research.