Unlocking Curious Minds - What's In Your Air, Alex?

In winter 2018 the NIWA Air Quality and Weather Forecasting teams will be joining forces with children and staff at Alexandra School in Otago in a project called "What's In Your Air, Alex?" This will give children and staff a chance to participate in a piece of genuine scientific research which will help us understand the air quality problem in Alexandra in much more detail.

This opportunity has arisen because NIWA scientists have chosen Alexandra as the next town to trial the "ODIN" - a low-cost air quality monitor that can be installed in large numbers around the town. These devices feed data to NIWA where it is combined and turned into animated maps of air quality, which can be combined with the weather forecast.

ODINs (left) form a network of sensors (centre) collecting data that can be turned into animated maps (right)

 At Alexandra School, we're giving children the chance to participate in this project in four ways:

1. Make measurements of air quality and weather on the school grounds
2. Build an air sensor and take it home for a couple of weeks (with parental consent)
3. Take a daily survey to report sensory and health responses to air quality (smell, irritation, symptoms)
4. Participate in a range of other classroom activities related to the air, including experiments, design-a-sensor, and becoming a weather forecaster.

The project is supported by the government's "Unlocking Curious Minds" fund. This fund is given to projects that provide genuine and positive scientific experiences to children who might otherwise not get the opportunity. It is intended to show that science need not be remote and difficult, but that science and science-based careers, are open to all.


Project Leader Ian Longley and some curious minds

The project begins in May and runs all winter. It will mainly involve year 5 and 6 children (ages 9 - 11), although there will be some opportunities for children in other years to get involved. At the end of the  project there will be a community presentation day for the children, staff and scientists to share what they have learned with their whanau and the wider community.

To find out more, please contact project leader Ian Longley (ian.longley@niwa.co.nz) or just keep following this blog.