IRES Track I: U.S.-Bangladesh collaboration to improve air quality: Application of low-cost sensor technologies and satellite remote sensing

气候变化会影响环境和室内环境中的空气。暴露在细颗粒物(PM2.5)等标准空气污染物和黑碳(BC)等气候驱动污染物中，在全国和全球范围内都日益引起公众健康的关注。使用低成本的空气质量和温室气体传感器可以改变城市理解和应对空气污染挑战的能力。这一国际学生研究体验(IRES)项目将为24名美国少数族裔学生(15名本科生和9名毕业生)提供参加为期10周的暑期项目的机会，该项目为期三年，研究孟加拉国达卡新出现的空气质量问题，达卡是世界上人口最稠密的城市之一。每年，8名学生将在美国参加为期两周的出发前虚拟培训和为期一周的旅行后跟踪会议，并访问达卡七周，以开展我们在孟加拉国工程技术大学(BUET)和达卡大学的合作研究。孟加拉国以其易受气候变化的影响而闻名，一直被列为污染最严重的国家之一，达卡被列为世界上污染最严重的特大城市之一。从一个特大城市对空气质量的影响中吸取的经验和教训，对于IRES的学生学习面临类似空气污染挑战的美国大型城市中心可能是有价值的。这个IRES将培养一支多元化的全球青年科学家队伍，为加强美国在科学和工程领域的领导地位做出广泛贡献。国际经验将为IRES学生提供独特的机会，以提高他们的专业成长、同伴指导技能、网络和发展他们在不同文化背景下的跨文化沟通、自我意识、职业适应能力和领导能力。该IRES项目将促进本科生和研究生教育的多样性，并通过提高全球意识和提供信息来支持监管机构改善空气质量和公共健康，从而为社会带来好处。该IRES项目旨在通过将基于物联网(IoT)的新型传感器技术和卫星遥感与建模相结合，使用低成本方法来改善空气质量，以提高对空气污染问题及其潜在解决方案的了解。通过利用独特的研究设施、数据和其他美国(如斯坦福大学)和外国资源，IRES的学生将调查孟加拉国新出现的空气质量问题。使用低成本传感器的研究活动包括：(1)开发低成本PM2.5监测系统的校准框架，(2)开发评估砖窑排放的低成本方法，(3)达卡市高空间分辨率空气污染地图，(4)了解达卡住宅室内空气质量暴露，(5)监测达卡市公共交通中空气污染物和温室气体的暴露，以及(6)估计和表征垃圾焚烧对达卡空气质量的影响。学生还将使用卫星遥感方法绘制砖窑污染地图，并对基于卫星的模型进行评估，以估计孟加拉国地表PM2.5的浓度。学生将有机会根据自己的兴趣选择自己的研究项目。该项目通过学生与教职员工、学生与学生之间的互动和几个活动来加强他们的专业发展，为学生提供强有力的指导。该项目的成果还可以造福于普通民众和整个社会，以增加对空气质量问题的认识和理解，减少环境和室内空气暴露，以改善公众健康。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Climate change can affect the air in both ambient and indoor environments. Exposure to criterial air pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and climate-driven pollutants such as black carbon (BC) is of increasing public health concern both nationally and globally. The use of low-cost air quality and greenhouse gas sensors can transform the ability of cities to understand and address air pollution challenges. This International Research Experience for Students (IRES) project will provide 24 U.S. underrepresented minority students (15 undergraduates and 9 graduates) the opportunity to participate in a ten-week summer program over three years for studying emerging air quality issues in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Each year a cohort of 8 students will participate in a two-week pre-departure virtual training and one-week (in-person) post-trip follow-up session in the U.S. and visit Dhaka for seven weeks to carry our collaborative research at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and at the University of Dhaka. Bangladesh is known for its vulnerability to climate change, consistently ranked as one of the most polluted countries and Dhaka as one of the most polluted megacities in the world. The experiences and lessons learned from a megacity’s impact on air quality can be valuable for the IRES students to study large U.S. urban centers confronting similar air pollution challenges. This IRES will develop a diverse globally engaged workforce of young scientists to contribute broadly to enhance U.S. leadership in science and engineering. The international experiences will offer IRES students unique opportunities to enhance their professional growth, peer-mentoring skills, networking and develop their competencies in intercultural communication, self-awareness, professional adaptability, and leadership in a culturally diverse group. This IRES project will promote diversity in undergraduate and graduate education and also bring benefits to the society by increasing global awareness and yielding information that can support regulatory agencies to improve air quality and public health.This IRES project aims to improve air quality by using low-cost approaches through integration of novel internet of things (IoT)-derived sensor technology and satellite remote sensing coupled with modeling to improve understanding of air pollution problems and their potential solutions. By leveraging the unique research facilities, data and other U.S. (e.g., Stanford University) and foreign resources, the IRES students will investigate emerging air quality issues in Bangladesh. Research activities using low-cost sensors include (1) development of a calibration framework for low-cost PM2.5 monitoring system, (2) developing a low-cost approach for evaluating brick kiln emissions, (3) high spatial resolution air pollution mapping in Dhaka city, (4) understanding residential indoor air quality exposure in Dhaka, (5) monitoring exposure to air pollutants and greenhouse gases in public transportation in Dhaka city, and (6) estimation and characterization of waste burning impact on air quality in Dhaka. Students will also use satellite remote sensing approach for mapping brick kiln pollution and perform evaluation of satellite-based models in estimating the surface PM2.5 concentrations over Bangladesh. Students will have the opportunity to select their individual research projects based on their personal interests. This project offers a robust student mentoring through student-faculty and student-student interactions and several events to enhance their professional development. The outcomes of this project can also benefit the general people and the society as a whole to increase knowledge and understanding of air quality problems, and reduction of ambient and indoor air exposure to improve public health.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.