A poster presented at the 2014 Air Quality Conference

1. Air Quality Sensors in Schools: Open Data for Public Engagement
R.R. Graves1, P. Peterson1, K. Grant2 and R.J. Leigh1
1The Earth Observation Science Group, Space Research Centre, The University of Leicester, University Rd, Leicester, UK
2The Department of Chemistry, The University of Leicester, University Rd, Leicester, UK
Open Data Motivations
This work is being undertaken as a Panton Fellowship. Panton Fellowships are based on the
Panton Principles which encourage scientists to put scientific data in the public domain.
“Science is based on reusing, criticising and building on the published body of scientific
knowledge. For science to function effectively, it is crucial that scientific data is open: i.e. free to
use, reuse, and redistribute.“
Why Open Air Quality Data?
• Air Quality is a prime candidate for a project using open data owing to the huge impact that
poor air quality can have on the public.
• It is estimated that poor air quality can cost Europe up to €800bn per annum (Brandt. et.al
2013) and with an increasing global population and urbanisation this figure is likely to
continue to rise without successful implementation of mitigation strategies.
• Despite the huge health and economic impacts of poor air quality it remains an issue with
very low public understanding.
• For mitigation strategies to be effective policy makers need support from the tax payers and
thus dissemination of information relating to air quality needs to improve. Hence, access to
and the promotion of open air quality data and education through outreach activities are
vital in order to public understanding of this issue and lead to improvements in air quality.
Outreach Motivations
• Science is often perceived as unappealing (Koren and Bar 2009, Sjøberg
and Schreiner 2005, Stefansson 2006). The image of a scientist plays a
significant part in students’ perception of science.
• Mead and Metraux (1957) found that the popular perception of a
‘scientist’ among high school pupils was a white male with facial hair
wearing eyeglasses and a laboratory coat, working with laboratory
equipment and chemicals in a laboratory. Little appears to have changed
over time, with a recent study by Koren and Bar (2009) finding a similar
outcome.
• Noh and Choi (1996) also found that there was a major gap between
school students’ perceptions of a scientist—as clever, hard working and
inventive—and the image they have of themselves.
• It is possible to dispel these misconceptions by encouraging interaction
between school students and scientists via outreach and educational
activities.
Project Aims
• To install at least 3 Air quality sensors in primary schools
by the end of 2014.
• For pupils to collect supplementary meteorological data
manually and save the data on an interactive learning
environment.
• To run workshops every half-term in schools with gifted
and talented pupils analysing the air quality and
meteorological data.
• All data to be hosted on a publically available webpage
to widen public engagement.
• The sensors are weatherproof and allow automatic
upload to a project webpage.
• Sensors for NO2, NO, CO, T(VOCs) and noise.
• Weather stations will also be installed alongside the
monitors.
• Sensors are also under development that aim to be an
affordable, open source air quality sensor.
• These sensors will be designed with several
applications in mind including mobile sensors, high
density sensor networks and personal exposure
monitors.
Project Outputs
• All data will be uploaded in NRT to the
Air Quality Group web page
(http://www.leos.le.ac.uk/aq/ca4s.ht
ml)
• Regular blog posts with updates will be
hosted on the OKF Open Science WG
blog.
• Every school term data analysis
workshops will be run with the school
children involved in the project.
Acknowledgements and Contact Details
The authors would like to acknowledge the Panton team, the OKFN and OKF Science Working Group for funding and supporting this work. As
well as the NCEO and the schools involved in the project.
Contact: For further details please contact Dr Rosie Graves rg82@le.ac.uk