What’s on : Lectures

Air Quality: A West Yorkshire Perspective

Lectures
Date
13 Dec 2022
Start time
7:00 PM
Venue
The Yorkshire Museum
Speaker
Dr Jim McQuaid, University of Leeds
Air Quality: A West Yorkshire Perspective

Event Information

Air Quality: A West Yorkshire Perspective

Dr Jim McQuaid, Associate Professor of Atmospheric Composition, University of Leeds

Air pollution is one of the biggest threats to public health in the UK. Consistent exposure to it causes breathing difficulties and other long-term lung and heart conditions. Nationally, it has been estimated to cause up to 36,000 early deaths every year.  In this lecture Dr Jim McQuaid from the University of Leeds will explain projects in Leeds and Bradford to tackle air pollution issues in these cities.

Jim is part of the NIHR funded BiB Breathes project which is currently using low costs PM2.5 sensors to assess the exposure of primary school children across the implementation of a Clean Air Zone in Bradford. He works extensively with Leeds City Council including a Research England funded programme to deploy a network of low cost PM2.5 sensors across the city.

Lecture to be held in the Tempest Anderson Lecture Theatre, Yorkshire Museum,
YO1 7DR at 7pm

ALL WELCOME.

Member’s report:

Dr McQuaid’s research is primarily focused upon observations of the composition of both gas phase and aerosol species in the atmosphere. He explained how air pollution is one of the biggest threats to public health in the UK, consistent exposure to it causing breathing difficulties and other long-term lung and heart conditions. Nationally, it has been estimated to cause up to 36,000 early deaths every year.

Dr McQuaid’s research has taken him to Greenland to understand how particles and microorganisms on the surface of the icesheet affect its albedo. Closer to home, he is part of the NIHR funded BiB Breathes project which is currently using low costs PM2.5 sensors to assess the exposure of primary school children across the implementation of a Clean Air Zone in Bradford. This project was cited by Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer,as an exemplar project ibn his annual report which took the health problems of ‘Air Pollution’ as its theme. Dr McQuaid also works extensively with Leeds City Council including a Research England funded programme to deploy a network of low cost PM2.5 sensors across the city.