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Partnerships for Environmental Public Health (PEPH)

September 30, 2024 • 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET

Air monitor

Air quality issues in urban environments have long been a concern, dating back to historical complaints of smoke and odors from activities such as charcoal pits, blacksmithing, and cooking fires. Since the Industrial Revolution, these problems have escalated, with emissions now posing greater risks to public health.

Partnerships between academic researchers and communities burdened by poor air quality have advanced our understanding of micro-scale pollution dynamics and community monitoring approaches. However, many efforts have been hampered by flawed communication and asynchronous approaches, leading to frustration among communities when scientific results did not translate into real-world change, captured in the sentiment of being "studied to death."

The advent of low-cost air quality sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) technology has made citizen science more accessible, opening new opportunities for meaningful collaboration between academic institutions and local communities. Programs such as the NIEHS Community Engagement Cores offer guidance on fostering effective partnerships and clear communication between researchers and community members.

This webinar explored the journey of the Citizen Air Monitoring Network and their collaboration with the University of California, Davis, prompted by a simple question: “What can you do to help us?”

Additionally, the presenters shared insights from their partnership in developing a low-cost air monitoring network for the Lower Price Hill community in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their initiative has expanded to include additional community-engaged projects and training opportunities for community-academic research teams across the country. This webinar highlighted the power of collaboration in addressing air quality issues and building sustainable, impactful solutions for communities.

Presentations

Experts

Presentation One: Developing a Sustainable Network with Community Partners to Meet the Specific Needs of Hyper-Local Air Quality Concerns

Ken Szutu

Ken Szutu, M.S., is the founder and executive director of the Citizen Air Monitoring Network in Vallejo. He established this organization in response to the 2016 Phillips 66 oil spill, which hospitalized more than 100 people. His work helped mobilize residents to install air monitors and initiate community-level air quality monitoring long before agencies began to focus on localized air quality issues and before the passage of California's AB 617 in 2017.

Szutu currently serves as co-chair of the Community Advisory Council for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), representing nine Bay Area counties. He is also a core member of the California Environmental Justice Coalition (CEJC), advocating for equitable environmental practices across the state.

Jimmy Sarmiento

Jimmy Sarmiento is the co-founder and chief financial officer of Citizen Air Monitoring Network. He currently serves on the board of two other local non-profits, Fresh Air Vallejo, Inc. and the Monarch Milkweed Project.

He is a retired certified financial planner licensee and registered investment advisor. He formerly worked in the information systems field for 20 years.

Nicholas Spada

Nicholas Spada, Ph.D., utilizes nuclear methods for characterizing particulate matter as a function of size and time to better understand its impact on human health and the global environment. With the University of California, Davis, Air Quality Research Center, Spada supports the national IMPROVE and Chemical Speciation Networks through methodological and data quality investigations. He is also a co-director of the Citizen Air Monitoring Network where he works closely with front-line communities to address hyper-local air quality concerns.

Presentation Two: Leveraging Low-Cost Air Monitoring to Engage Community Residents in Research and Action

Patrick Ryan

Patrick Ryan, Ph.D., is Professor of Pediatrics and Environmental and Public Health Sciences at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He obtained a B.S. in mathematics from Xavier University and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in epidemiology from the University of Cincinnati Department of Environmental Health. In 2013, he joined the faculty of Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center and currently serves as the Associate Director for Research in the Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Director of the Graduate Program in Clinical and Translational Research, and Director of the Translational Workforce Development Core for the Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training. Ryan’s research integrates exposure science with epidemiology to study the impact of environmental exposures and social determinants of health, including air pollution, community resources, greenspace, and others, on respiratory and neurodevelopmental health outcomes in both children and adults. In addition, his research includes the use of personal air monitors and health sensors in epidemiologic studies and the impact of naturally occurring elongated mineral fibers on pulmonary disease in the western U.S.

Jaeydah Edwards

Jaeydah Edwards is the Senior Program Director at Groundwork Ohio River Valley, where she connects Cincinnati residents to their local environments through various community engagement events. A majority of her work focuses on educating both youth and adults on air pollution hazards and how to operate air quality monitors, as well as projects on water quality, green infrastructure and environmental justice. Jaeydah is a 2023 North American Association for Environmental Education CEE-Change Fellow, as well as a Cincinnati Fobes 30 under 30 lister.

 

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