Air Quality Research Center

The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) Air Quality Fund supports entities interested in publicly sharing outdoor air pollution (PM2.5) information and working toward national-level clean air impact.

The program is now accepting applications through September 10, 2024!

The Air Quality Research Center's latest research on PM2.5 speciation was recently published in The Magazine for Environmental Managers! Check out the article below or download it here.

A “super El Niño” is predicted for this winter. What is El Niño, how might it impact local areas, and how does it relate to atmospheric rivers and climate change? The following UC Davis experts, listed alphabetically, are available to discuss with reporters these and other related questions.

The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), a government entity that develops the model building code for all provinces and territories in Australia, is in the process of updating its Indoor Air Quality Verification Methods Handbook to reflect the latest scientific evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic.

A recent article by EOS writer Jackie Rocheleau highlights a growing concern about wildfire smoke and other pollutants that continue to exist in a diluted quantity within our atmosphere. With wildfires growing in size and quantity due to climate change, the original idea that simply waiting for the pollutants to disperse would be enough to protect human health, is coming into question. 

The Air Quality Monitoring Team (AQMT) at UC Davis has operated the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) ambient speciated particulate monitoring network since its inception in 1988. Beginning in 2015, AQMT took on the laboratory analysis and data handling for the Chemical Speciation Network (CSN). These two networks encompass over 300 sites delivering over 60 PM2.5 species across the country every third day.

The Air Quality Research Center couldn't be happier to support Steve Cliff in his journey to be the newest administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). As a former researcher within the center, he has been an advocate for reducing emissions through decreased vehicular traffic and increased active transportation. After working at the AQRC, he continued on to hold positions at the California Air Resources Administration and the California Department of Transportation. 

The magazine Cycling California writes:

by Andy Fell | Oct 11, 2021 | Environment, Features, The Big Question

In the narrative of the “Tragedy of the Commons”,(1,2) a shared grazing area (aka common pool resource(3)) is trampled into overgrazed ruin by a pervasion of actors who exploit the resource more quickly than can be sustainably allotted. Regardless of whether there is consciousness of guilt, this is theft.

Particulate matter (PM) affects visibility, climate, and public health. Organic matter (OM), a uniquely complex portion of PM, can make up more than half of total atmospheric fine PM mass.

Year after year California has seen some of the largest and most deadly wildfires, not only by acreage burned, but by also by hazardous air quality. The smoke has turned some cities in neighboring state’s air quality into the dirties in the world, including outside of the state.

Last week, Michael S. Regan, Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency, announced that the EPA will reconsider strengthening the limits and standards for fine particulate matter.

Earth Day is this Thursday, April 22 and to help reporters develop stories about air quality monitoring, modeling and evaluation, the Air Quality Research Center is here with a few researchers and educators to support the sharing of knowledge. 

Research Engineer, Air Quality Research Center (AQRC)

Research Interests:

Over 111 million metric tons of CO2 were emitted by wildfires in California for the 2020 year. The transportation sector is the only area to have emitted more carbon dioxide at over 169 million metric tons. While from the outset, that looks pretty bad, you may still wonder, "In actuality, how bad is the wildfire smoke for Climate Change?"

In an interview with the SF Chronical, AQRC Director, Tony Wexler, stated that the wildfire carbon emissions are of almost no concern for him in relation to climate change.