Air Pollution Kills! So What? Air Quality Engineering to Improve Public Health
Julian Marshall
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minnesota
Abstract
According to the World Health Organization, urban air pollution is one of the top 15 causes of death globally (one of the top 10 causes in high-income countries), responsible for ~ 1.7% of deaths annual (high-income countries, 2.1%). How can we reduce those health effects? This presentation will discuss three investigations into that question: (1) Urban form describes the physical layout of an urban area – for example, city shape, population density, and “patchiness” of urban growth. We have found that air pollution is related to urban form, for cities in the US and internationally, raising the question of whether urban planning can help cities meet air quality goals. (2) In developing countries, indoor air can be especially polluted, owing to combustion of solid fuels for heating and cooking. In a rural village in Karnataka, India, we have conducted a randomized control trial of a higher-efficiency stove, to test whether the stove improves indoor air pollution, health effects, and climate-relevant emissions. (3) We have explored how shifting from conventional fuels to bio-fuels changes the locations of emissions, thereby impacting air quality and who is exposed to pollution. The goal is to understand whether biofuels are better for human health and the environment than the fossil fuels they displace. A constant theme through these topics is environmental justice: which groups have higher exposures to air pollution, and how exposure correlates with demographic attributes such as race and income.
About the Speaker
Dr. Julian Marshall is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering at University of Minnesota. His research involves modeling and measuring exposure to air pollution. Marshall earned his BSE with High Honors in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University, and his MS and PhD in Energy Resources from UC Berkeley. His publications include “most downloaded” articles from the top journal in the field: Environmental Science & Technology and Atmospheric Environment. At UMN, Marshall co-directs the Acara Challenge and the Peace Corps Masters International program in Civil Engineering, and is the co-advisor for the student chapter of Engineers Without Borders. His honors include a McKnight Land-Grant Professorship. Marshall currently is being evaluated for advancement from assistant to associate professor.