Oscar is a chemical engineer with a Masters in Sustainable Development and a PhD in Environmental Science & technology. His studies primarily focus on addressing air pollution through the development and application of new low-cost technologies, while also conducting research on understanding and mitigating human exposure to air pollutants.
In collaboration with the Municipality’s Environmental Department, the Dept. of Environmental engineering launched ‘EducAir’, a unique initiative with three specific goals:
1. To sensitize primary and secondary school students towards air pollution and the importance of air quality monitoring.
2. To raise awareness on health-risks linked to poor air quality.
3. To inspire children to pursue higher education and careers in STEM.
Reference-grade monitors are present in cities; however, in smaller towns where such resources are lacking, the aim is for low-cost sensor technology to fill the gaps in air quality data. Colocation studies are being conducted alongside commercial sensors and reference-grade monitors to test the efficacy of the sensors developed. In addition to providing air quality information for formulating policies, their aim is to support research and promote awareness.
Country Profile (Colombia): Opportunity Score 4.8: Annual average PM2.5 levels are more than times the WHO guideline. There is public PM2.5 data produced by the government, as well as there is a national ambient air quality standard for PM2.5.