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Air Quality Monitoring with Low-Cost Sensors in Greater Springfield, MA: Citizen Science and Air Quality Monitoring
Dong Gao, Mahea Heimuli, Kayla Fennell, Anna Woodroof, Mark Chandler, David Bloniarz, Alexander Sherman, Samantha Hamilton, Yoni Glogower, Sarita Hudson, KRYSTAL GODRI POLLITT, Yale University
Abstract Number: 686
Working Group: Translating Aerosol Research for Societal Impact: Science Communication and Public Outreach
Abstract
Air pollution continues to be a global public health threat. With the development of sensor and internet technologies, low-cost air sensors (LCS) have emerged as an effective tool for air quality monitoring at a high time and spatial resolution. The use of LCS is of main interest for citizen science initiatives and can help answer community-driven and locally motivated questions. A collaborative air quality monitoring project has recently been conducted to build up a LCS network across Greater Springfield region in Massachusetts, aimed at measuring air pollution levels and providing data to inform public health responses in the city known as having the highest rates of asthma in the country. Public outreach and stakeholder engagement are critical to the success of the project. To raise awareness and establish specific opportunities for the public to collaborate with researchers on topics related to air pollution and the environment, multiple visual interactive community discussion sessions were held. The feedback and concerns, such as air quality information needs, uses, sources, and barrier, were collected during discussions and through feedback forms from the community and incorporated to develop strategies for sensor deployment, data visualization, and other key activities. This community-engaged process enables the generation of community-relevant air quality data which complement the regulatory networks.