The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) awarded a $2,000,000 Congressionally-Identified Projects (CFDA 11.617) grant to the University of Illinois to foster collaborative efforts among academic institutions, local communities, and the private sector to deepen the collective understanding of local air quality in environmental justice communities in Chicago.
The key project activities include: 1) Forming an environmental justice community-based air monitoring network through community engagement sessions; 2) Collecting air quality data, including particulate matter concentrations, using a mix of low-cost sensors managed by trained residents and advanced mobile monitoring technology; and 3) Processing, analyzing, visualizing, and interpreting the collected air quality data to guide local policy decisions on air quality management, health/racial equity, climate-resilient development, and renewable energy infrastructure. The University of Illinois plans to subaward funds to the Center for Neighborhood Technology to help design and implement the community-led air monitoring initiative. The project period runs from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2026.