Smell reports reveal the need to expand urban air quality monitoring, say UBC researchers
Photo Credit: structuresxx – stock.adobe.com UBC researchers analyzed 549 reports from the Smell Vancouver app and discovered that “rotten” and “chemical” odours dominated. Ever wondered if your neighbourhood odour could be impacting your health? UBC researchers have uncovered surprising insights into the Vancouver region’s “smellscape” using data from the Smell Vancouver app. Analyzing 549 reports from […]
New concept explains how tiny particles navigate water layers, with implications for marine conservation
EurekAlert, Physics.org: A new UBC study published recently in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science has unveiled insights into how microscopic organisms such as marine plankton move through water with different density layers. Researchers Gwynn Elfring and Vaseem Shaik found that density layers, created by variations in temperature or salinity, influence the swimming direction […]
Driving an electric car is cheaper in some parts of Canada than others
This article originally appeared on UBC News. Electric vehicles are a critical part of Canada’s climate strategy, but a new UBC study highlights how it’s cheaper in some regions than others to drive electric—making it more challenging for certain households to make the switch. Location, location, location The researchers analyzed how far people need to drive their electric […]
Millions of Kitchens – Are they Safe: PhD student explores energy use and air pollution through photography
A new photography exhibit by Mechanical Engineering PhD student and Liu Scholar Mrinmoy Chakraborty explores the kinds of residential energy sources used in rural India and their effect on indoor air pollution. Usually, he investigates this issue using numerical simulations and field studies under the co-supervision of Dr. Amanda Giang and Dr. Naomi Zimmerman, but […]
Business Wire talks to Dr. Amanda Giang about joint UBC and Clear Seas Study to Provide Path to Zero-Impact Marine Shipping
Mechanical Engineering and Institute of Resources, Environment and Sustainability faculty member Amanda Giang talks to Business Wire about the study she is leading with IRES colleague Dr. Terre Satterfield. They are partnering with the Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping and the National Research Council of Canada’s Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering Research Centre to examine […]
UBC’s Smart Energy District
It’s about to change the future. Article by Chris Petty, from UBC Trek Magazine. UBC’s Vancouver campus is testing a solar- and hydrogen- driven smart energy system. If you happen to pass the block bounded by Thunderbird Boulevard and Wesbrook Mall on UBC’s Vancouver campus, take note: you are experiencing history being made. That block […]
Media Mention: COP 26 delegate Dr. Walter Mérida on why B.C. should be paying attention to climate summit
Global News: After experiencing an historic deadly heat dome and another record wildfire season, this past year has been real wakeup call in B.C. when it comes to climate change. COP26 delegates from UBC explain why this UN Climate Change conference is the most crucial and why B.C. should be paying attention.
UBC experts team up to tackle air pollution with network of sensors
UBC NEWS: Air pollution is an urgent problem linked to as many as nine million deaths per year worldwide and 14,000 annually in Canada, primarily from related heart and lung diseases. A group of UBC experts are determined to mount a rapid response through research. The team, known as Rapid Air Improvement Network (RAIN), is […]
UBC News: Marginalized groups experience higher cumulative air pollution in urban Canada
Different marginalized groups are exposed to higher cumulative air pollution in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto, according to new research from the University of British Columbia. The study, published last week in Environmental Research Letters, shows that in Vancouver, Indigenous residents are most at risk, while the burden falls on immigrant and low-income residents in Montreal and […]
UBC News: Is there something in the air? These UBC researchers want to know
We all know air quality can sometimes be imperfect. The smells and aromas produced by traffic, businesses and industry, and thousands—if not millions—of people living in close proximity can combine to produce an olfactory experience that’s less than pleasant. Enter Naomi Zimmerman and Amanda Giang, a pair of UBC researchers who are studying the different scents that permeate […]