Summer Vacation - High School Interns Take on Air Quality Project in Kane County
Three local high school students spent their summer tackling one of the world's biggest environmental challenges, air quality.
Oscar Lee, Keshav Arun and Sanjith Balamurali interned with Naperville-based Accelerate Climate Solutions, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating youth and empowering communities to implement climate solutions.
The students recently presented their proposal for a pilot project in Kane County focused on Aurora's Near East Side, where they believe more neighborhood-level air quality data is needed. They want to develop a community air quality monitoring system to expand access to neighborhood-level air quality data.
Their interest in environmental issues grew through volunteer work and participation in the BLAST (Building Leadership Around Sustainable Transformation) Competition. The program challenges high school students to develop projects that reduce waste, promote sustainable living, enhance biodiversity and address environmental issues.
"We've been witnessing more than ever the effects of climate change and just how much it harms our planet," said Arun. "We want to help create a better future."
Balamurali agreed.
"This is something that affects everyone," he said. "It's one problem that we all need to work on because we're all impacted. That's what motivates me."
The students focused their summer intern research on Aurora's 60505 ZIP code east of the Fox River, where they found relatively little publicly available ground-level monitoring for fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The neighborhood is crossed by the BNSF rail corridor, which carries more than 100 trains each day, including numerous diesel freight trains. The area is also located near industrial facilities, leading the students to question whether additional monitoring could provide a clearer picture of neighborhood air quality.
Lee said they started comparing publicly available air quality maps with climate vulnerability data.
"We looked at previous air quality studies locally and nationwide and noticed there were areas that were basically 'sensor deserts,'" Lee said. "We cross-referenced those maps with a Climate Vulnerability Index and found East Aurora stood out because it has relatively few sensors while also ranking high for climate vulnerability."
Aurora currently has limited neighborhood-level air quality monitoring through the PurpleAir network, including a public sensor at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy on the city's west side. The students hope to install eight to 10 additional sensors across Aurora's near east side, including near the rail corridor, to provide residents, researchers and policymakers with real-time neighborhood air quality details.
"The data would help educate community members about the air they're breathing and how safe it is to be outside," Arun said.
To move the project forward, the students identified three key needs: funding to purchase additional sensors, volunteers willing to host sensors on their property, and partnerships with organizations interested in improving air quality and public health.
Although their summer internship is ending, the students say they intend to continue pursuing the project and are seeking community partners to help make it a reality.
To get involved you can contact the students through Accelerate Climate Solutions by emailing Catherin Clarkin at cclarkin@accelerateclimate solutions.org
For Balamurali, the internship has been about much more than collecting data.
"This internship really showed me how to work collaboratively on a real-world issue," he said. "It also exposed me to the policy side of environmental issues and showed me there are a lot of other people who care about making the world a better place."
If successful, the pilot could serve as a model for future community-based air quality monitoring projects in underserved neighborhoods throughout the region.
Learn more about Accelerate Climate Solutions at https://www.accelerateclimatesolutions.org/
Learn more about the work Kane County is doing to sustain the environmental through a Climate Action plan, recycling, solar, water quality and conservation, storm water management and more at https://www.kanecountyil.gov/fder/pages/ewrdiv.aspx
