LDEO Earth Science Colloquium Series presents
Addressing Human and Ecosystem Health Impacts of Air Pollution
with Dr. Kristina Wagstrom, Eversource Energy Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering Education, University of Connecticut.
Abstract: I will discuss three ongoing projects in my lab aimed at facilitating a decrease in the negative impacts of air pollution. The first is a collaborative initiative between UConn and UConn Health aimed at deploying low-cost, DIY air filtration solutions in community settings throughout Connecticut. I will discuss our work deploying and testing these solutions in a variety of settings. These DIY solutions have the potential to decrease aerosol concentrations, like the ones that spread respiratory diseases like COVID-19 and RSV, in active classrooms by 50-90%. For the second project, we are bringing together different modeling approaches and low-cost monitoring approaches to develop better estimates of how air pollution varies in space and time. Through this work we have found that we might be substantially underestimating exposures in urban areas which can have important implications for environmental justice and equity. In the final project, I will discuss our project to provide estimates of the contributions of different sources to the deposition of atmospheric nitrogen to terrestrial and aquatic systems. This additional nitrogen can lead to imbalances of nutrients in these systems.
The Earth Science Colloquium Series, sponsored by Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia University Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DEES), provides a lively forum for discussing a wide variety of topics within the Earth sciences and related fields. Colloquia are attended by the full range of scientific and technical staff at LDEO. Colloquium attendance is required of all pre-orals DEES graduate students. The Colloquium Series supports the Lamont Seminar Diversity Initiative.
