I am a PhD student in atmospheric chemistry at the University of Cambridge using low-cost, portable sensor networks to measure air pollution. I am currently using data from the Breathe London (BL) network to study the impact of policy interventions such as the Covid-19 lockdown and introduction of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on the capital’s air quality. This work differs from standard government monitoring of air pollution in two main ways. Firstly, the BL data are recorded at higher spatial and temporal resolution, which allows better identification of local pollution events. Secondly, CO₂ concentrations are also measured and can be used as a tracer for the impact of weather on pollution, which usually hinders any effort to compare pollution levels through time. I am passionate about my research because understanding and improving air quality is vital to the protection of human health and the environment, and for building a more sustainable society.

Beyond my day-to-day research, science outreach is very important to me. I enjoy working with students to engage them with science and encourage them to pursue it in their future studies and career.