UKRI/Met Office Clean Air Programme Conference, 2nd and 3rd October 2024

The 2024 Clean Air Conference ‘Analysis and Solutions: Responding to the Clean Air Challenge‘, took place at Edgbaston Park Hotel and Conference Centre in Birmingham on the 2nd and 3rd October 2024.

To view the programme and abstracts for the conference please click here.

To view the presentations from our speakers, click here.

Professor Sir Michael Marmot (Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London).

Professor Louise Heathwaite (Distinguished Professor in the Lancaster Environment Centre at Lancaster University and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Research and Enterprise. New executive Chair of NERC).

Presentation not yet available

Sarah Sleet, CEO of Asthma + Lung UK

Professor Kamaldeep Bhui (Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford and Honorary Professor in the Center for Psychiatry at Queen Mary University of London).

Professor Alastair Lewis (Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry at University of York).

Professor David Topping (Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Manchester, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ).

Professor Dame Judith Petts DBE, (Emeritus Professor, University of Plymouth)

Early Career Researchers (ECRs) attending the conference enjoyed exclusive ECR breakfast events on both days. These sessions provided an opportunity to connect with other clean air professionals, share knowledge and learn new research.

Early Career Researcher development is a key component of ensuring legacy from the Clean Air Programme, and we wanted to give our ECRs opportunities to raise their profiles, network and tells us what they see as the future challenges in Air Quality. In addition to the wonderful presentations given, many of our ECRs also co-chaired sessions.

Our ECR breakfast events were well attended on both mornings before the main event and we received lots of input on research directions and desirable traits for a funding call. It was fascinating hearing from ECRs from such broad scientific backgrounds all connected in bringing expertise to tackling the Clean Air Challenge. We also heard from University of Birmingham Press Office on what your Press Office can do for you, how to structure a press release and what expert comment is.

This year’s event was packed with an exciting lineup of speakers, workshops, and networking opportunities designed to inspire, educate, and connect our community. View the official programme and for conference abstracts, click here.

3 KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS:

Social Justice and Health by Professor Sir Michael Marmot CH (Director, UCL Institute of Health Equity, UCL Dept of Epidemiology and Public Health)

Air Quality and Mental Health – Evidence, Challenges and Future Directions by Professor Kamaldeep Bhui (Professor of Psychiatry & Hon. Consultant Psychiatrist, University of Oxford)

AI, Air Quality and Health – A Breath of Fresh Air by Professor David Topping (Professor of Digital Environment, Centre for Atmospheric Science, The University of Manchester)

5 KEYNOTE LECTURES

An Address By NERC Executive Chair by Professor Louise Heathwaite CBE (Executive Chair, Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and Distinguished Professor, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University)

Challenges and Opportunities for Science to Influence Policy by Professor Dame Judith Petts DBE (Emeritus Professor, University of Plymouth)

Fighting for Clean Air by Sarah Sleet (CEO Asthma + Lung UK)

ECR Visions for the Future of Clean Air by Dr Douglas Booker (Lecturer in Indoor Air, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds and UKRI Regional Clean Air Champion for the NW) and Dr Natasha Easton (NIHR BRC Bridging Fellow and Knowledge Exchange Impact Fellow,  UKRI SPF Clean Air Programme, University of Southampton)

Martin Williams Lecture – The Future of Air Quality: Opportunities and Challenges by Professor Alastair Lewis (Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), University of York, Chair of the Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG).

2ND OCTOBER – DAY 1: Air pollution – diverse exposure effects; Characterising indoor air quality; The changing face of ambient air quality; Air quality and net-zero; Vulnerabilities and inequalities in the indoor environment; Variations in exposure to indoor air pollution; Cross-disciplinary research towards solutions.

3RD OCTOBER – DAY 2: New tools for air quality analysis; Emissions and sources of modern air pollution; Policy application and communication; Transport and air quality-methods and solutions; The application of air quality sensors

4 PANEL SESSIONS

Tackling Health Inequalities Through Actions to Improved Quality – Dr Agnes Agyepong (Founder and CEO of Global Black Maternal Health)

Clean Air – The Need for Multi-sector Actions – Chris Taylor (Sustainability Lead, Philips)

Empowering Regions: The Impact of Evolution on Devolved Administrations – Dr Heather Price (Senior Lecturer in Environmental Geography, Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling and UKRI Regional Clean Air Champion for Scotland)

Improving Air Quality – Next Steps – Dr Sarah Moller (Knowledge Exchange and Senior Research Fellow, Dept of Chemistry, University of York).

Congratulations to the following winners for the best posters presented by Early Career Researchers at the Clean Air Conference.

1st PLACE and a prize of a £100 voucher went to Emma Gibbons for presenting her poster on ‘Challenges to achieving low indoor NO2 concentrations: a study of indoor air quality and ventilation in six modern office buildings’.
2nd PLACE and a prize of a £75 voucher went to James Brean for presenting his poster on ‘The influence of direct road emissions on New Particle Formation and Growth’
3rd PLACE and a prize of a £50 voucher went to Kirsty Vincent for presenting her poster on RESPIRE-1 Protocol.