Student-Built Air Purifiers Tackle Wildfire Smoke and COVID-19
UC Davis Engages Junior High School Students with Hands-On Citizen Science
Schools are facing many challenges this fall, including minimizing risks to students and staff from COVID-19 and wildfire smoke exposure. Air purifiers are one tool that can help.
Researchers from the UC Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute (EEI) partnered with science teachers at Rio Tierra Junior High School in Sacramento to teach a two-day lesson on air quality and build 30 portable air cleaners with approximately 150 8th grade students. The portable air cleaners will be distributed to every classroom on campus.
Media Resources
Ali Loge is communications and outreach director for the UC Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute.
Other resources:
- For questions about the project, contact Theresa Pistochini, engineering manager at the UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center, 916-612-6418, tepistochini@ucdavis.edu.
- DIY Portable Air Cleaner Testing information from UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center
- “Improving Indoor Air Quality in California Schools” https://wcec.ucdavis.edu/improving-indoor-air-quality-in-california-schools/
- Photos available for download.