Raising Students’ Awareness to Air Quality Concepts
As part of the work, Haifa has conducted in schools raising students’ awareness to air quality concepts, students visited the Technion for a day’s activity. During the visit students participated in an air quality monitoring activity using mobile sensors.
First, students received detailed maps of the Technion, and with guidance of experienced Master and PhD student formed hypotheses’ of the air quality in different areas of the campus. Students then designed a walking route throughout the Technion and using a mobile air quality sensor and a GPS application, monitored the air quality throughout the route. Finally, the walking routes and values of the measured pollutants were presented on the board and discussed and compared to the initial hypotheses. All routes and values were uploaded for further use of the students and schools. The activity was a great success and many of the participants stated it was the highlight of the project.
In a separate activity, students conducted research project using air quality data from sensors installed in the school premises. Two of these works were presented in a regional research-fair at the National Science Museum in Haifa. The two groups examined the difference in air quality in different locations in the school and presented their hypothesis, methods and findings and conclusions. One of the group of students won a certificate of excellence for their work on this relevant and important topic.
To conclude the work done in collaboration with the Schools, one of the teachers in-charge wrote a thank you note stating: “In my name and in the name of the whole community, we appreciate and respect the meaningful contribution in raising awareness to air quality issues and in taking responsibility on the environment we live and work in”.
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For more information, please contact Dr. Yaela Golumbic from Technion, Haifa, Israel, email: yaelago@campus.technion.ac.il