Conference: Center for Aerosol Science and Technology (CAST) Workshop on Wildland Fire Emissions and Indoor Air Quality

About This Grant

This NSF award provides travel and organization support for the Center for Aerosol Science and Technology (CAST) Workshop held at the University of Miami in 2025. The hybrid workshop will gather researchers and students to address indoor air quality issues resulting from wildland fire emissions. The research will have a particular focus on the Southeast U.S., which experiences more wildland fires than any other region of the U.S. The workshop will feature keynote speeches and panel discussions by national experts, as well as tutorials, hands-on instrument demonstrations, and student competitions to facilitate knowledge transfer and develop communication skills. Results will be disseminated through a publication summarizing the current state of knowledge and potential solutions. Society will benefit from this workshop through the advancement of knowledge on wildland fire emissions. Such information can be used to develop new systems to address indoor air pollution and associated human health impacts caused by these fires. The University of Miami Center for Aerosol Science and Technology (CAST) workshop focuses on advanced indoor air quality control and impacts of wildland fire emissions in the Southeast U.S. Wildland fires are a growing global concern, particularly in the Southeast U.S., which experiences the largest number of wildland fires, comparable to the rest of the U.S. combined. Significant gaps in our understanding exist on how pollutants from wildland fires impact both climate and the infiltration of air pollutants to indoor environments. Such infiltration exacerbates human health risks due to poor ventilation and filtration. To address these challenges, the CAST workshop will present new research findings on Southeast U.S. biomass burning emissions, advanced air quality sensor design, risk assessment methods, and building controls to mitigate health risks associated with indoor air pollution. Hands-on instrumentation and tutorial sessions will demonstrate state-of-the-art technology for monitoring and controlling air pollutants, equipping attendees with the skills needed to tackle these research problems. The involvement of non-profit organizations, such as Healthy Little Havana, will enhance community engagement on these issues. Additionally, student participation will foster career development and contribute to a skilled future STEM workforce. Results will be disseminated through a published manuscript that summarizes our current understanding and potential solutions to issues associated with wildland fire emissions and indoor air quality control. Additional benefits to society result from supporting the inclusion of attendees from diverse backgrounds to broaden participation in the fields of air quality and environmental engineering and science. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.