Water & Air Quality Projects
Air Filter Exchange Program
This program will help residents and researchers better understand the amount and type of indoor air pollutants that exist in the 84104 and 84116 area codes while also improving indoor air quality. In this project, students attend westside community events and create flyers to assist in recruiting families to the program. They also produce pamphlets that inform program participants about air filter maintenance and indoor air quality. Lastly, students join University researchers and a certified HVAC technician to change filters in families’ homes while also collecting data from the old filters. Air quality data is gathered through research-grade sensor readings during the site visit and through chemical analysis of the used filters. Qualitative survey data is gathered from participating families as well.
Air Quality Monitoring & Education
This project includes visits to (6th grade +) science classrooms to provide an educational lesson about air quality monitoring and to build indoor particulate matter sensors with Lego building blocks.
Air Quality and Sound Walls on the Westside
Sound walls along highways have been known not only to reduce sound but also to safeguard air quality yet sound walls are not evenly distributed along socioeconomic criteria. Mapping sound walls and measuring their impact on air quality may help make the case for more thoughtful and equitable distribution.
Air Quality and Recess Policy
This project investigates recess policies during inversions at title 1 v. non-title 1 schools. You will learn what sorts of policies different schools have regarding keeping children, especially medically sensitive children, indoors at recess or PE classes during bad air quality events. We will investigate how the school determines daily air quality, which children are targeted, how parents are informed, and what steps parents must take in order to ensure their children are kept indoors. We also try to learn what indoor options are provided to children kept indoors during recess.
Water Quality & Access Along the Jordan River
With increasing encampments along the Jordan River, water quality in the river and potable water access along the Jordan River take on new environmental justice dimensions. Mapping access points and water quality may inform policy and infrastructure investments along the Jordan.
Air Quality Access Project
In recent years, cities and states have been creating Clean Air Rooms to provide the public with a space to retreat to during periods of acute air pollution exposure. In this project, students will collaborate with the Glendale Library to provide clean air resources to their patrons, including creating a Clean Air Room, installing air quality sensors, and providing 30 DIY air purifiers for home use and participate in the Breathe Clean Air Festival to advocate for clean air statewide.