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

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.