The “Clean Air Outreach Project”: A Paired Research and Outreach Program Looking at Air Quality Microenvironments around Elementary Schools

The City of Kitchener is the largest city in Waterloo Region in the province of Ontario, the third fasting growing region in Canada, yet it has only one air quality monitoring station. Our research group launched a pilot project in September 2020 to install a network of AQMesh multisensor mini air quality monitoring stations (pods) near elementary schools in Kitchener. Here, we describe an outreach and educational project (The Clean Air Outreach Project), which we launched in May 2021 for elementary-school-aged students attending schools near the pods. The primary goal of this project was spreading awareness about air quality and its connection to health impacts, principles of chemical reactions in the atmosphere, and climate change. The project continued until December 2021. Virtual presentations were delivered by a team of undergraduate university students to a total of 350 students in grades 5-8. Student knowledge was assessed using poll questions and Kahoot games. Follow-up interviews were conducted with the teachers, who reflected on the impact and educational elements of our presentations. The outcomes of this outreach project and teachers' feedback revealed that such initiatives can spark interest in scientific knowledge in general and engagement in environmental issues at the school and community levels.