Grantee Research Project Results
2017 Progress Report: Putting Next Generation Sensors and Scientists in Practice to Reduce Wood Smoke in a Highly Impacted, Multicultural Rural Setting (NextGenSS)
EPA Grant Number: R836185Title: Putting Next Generation Sensors and Scientists in Practice to Reduce Wood Smoke in a Highly Impacted, Multicultural Rural Setting (NextGenSS)
Investigators: Karr, Catharine J. , Seto, Edmund , Austin, Elena , Black, Jessica
Current Investigators: Karr, Catharine J. , Larson, Timothy V. , Yost, Michael , Simpson, Christopher , Black, Jessica , Austin, Elena , Riley, Erin , Seto, Edmund
Institution: University of Washington , Heritage University
EPA Project Officer: Callan, Richard
Project Period: August 1, 2016 through July 31, 2019 (Extended to July 31, 2020)
Project Period Covered by this Report: August 1, 2016 through July 31,2017
Project Amount: $749,999
RFA: Air Pollution Monitoring for Communities (2014) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Environmental Justice , Air Quality and Air Toxics , Air , Airborne Particulate Matter Health Effects , Particulate Matter
Objective:
We propose to:
1. Deploy next generation low-cost air particle sensors in student-directed studies pertaining to heavy wood smoke impacts in their rural community;
2. Evaluate sensor effectiveness in these collaborative studies; and
3. Identify effective platforms for data dissemination and communication by students to the broader community through multigenerational and multi-cultural outreach.
Progress Summary:
Accomplishments over the first year of the project were many-fold.
1) We obtained human subjects approval from the University of Washington, Heritage University, and EPA to implement our air pollution curriculum and administer a survey on air pollution knowledge and environmental priorities.
2) We developed an interactive air pollution curriculum with four main components: Air Pollution Basics, Air Pollution Sources, Air Pollution & Health, and Experiment Design & Planning, using sensors in the community.
3) We developed and administered a survey to EnvironMentor students (both mentors from Heritage University and mentees at White Swan High School) and Project Advisory Council members.
4) We set up air monitoring equipment in a classroom at White Swan High School to characterize particulate and black carbon levels over the winter heating season. We provided a summary of these data along with some reflection questions for use by a science teacher at White Swan High School.
5) We worked with our colleagues and EnvironMentors at Heritage University to develop projects for the high school students at White Swan High School. Four high school students presented their research at the Washington DC EnvironMentors National Fair in July 2017.
6) We established our Project Advisory Council and had an initial meeting where we presented the project and received feedback from community members.
Future Activities:
In Year 2 of the project, we will continue to engage with our Project Advisory Council to receive feedback and input on activities. We will start working with undergraduate and high school EnvironMentors students during the school academic year. We plan to continue to revise our curriculum with trainee feedback to tailor it optimally to our student population with the eventual goal of sharing this curriculum with the broader community. The year 2 format for our curriculum will entail a set of very short (~3 slides) PowerPoint presentations of material followed by an activity (e.g., something interactive, an internet search, a data/graphing exercise, a discussion/debate). The curriculum includes training the mentors and their trainees in the use of low-cost air pollution monitors that can be deployed inside or outside. We will foster student-directed studies on ambient air pollution levels using these low-cost monitors throughout the community.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 12 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
ambient air, sensitive populations, children, human health, particulates, epidemiology, NW, northwest, region 10, agriculture, human health, Hispanic, Native American, farm workerProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.