Clean Air Champion for Scotland

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Stirling town, castle and hills behind

A University of Stirling lecturer has been appointed Regional Clean Air Champion for Scotland, to help develop solutions to air quality challenges as part of the UK’s Clean Air Programme.

Environmental geographer Dr Heather Price, of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, will join three national and three regional champions, to bring together researchers across atmospheric, medical and social sciences, and ensure that their research is connected to public, policy makers and business.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Met Office appointed the champions in support of the UKRI Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF) Clean Air Programme – a £42.5 million investment that supports high quality research and innovation to develop practical solutions for today’s air quality issues and equip the UK to proactively tackle future air quality challenges.

Dr Heather Price
Dr Heather Price
Lecturer in Biological and Environmental Sciences
We have a Cleaner Air for Scotland strategy, but we need to come together to do more. Scotland positions itself as a Hydro Nation – I would like to see us leading from the front with our air quality too.

Dr Price said: “Air pollution is responsible for seven million premature deaths per year globally.

“We have a Cleaner Air for Scotland strategy, but we need to come together to do more. Scotland positions itself as a Hydro Nation – I would like to see us leading from the front with our air quality too.

“My role will be to highlight best practice and be a central point for air quality research in Scotland, supporting scientists to engage with citizens, policy makers and academics from other disciplines, catalysing activity around creative solutions to air quality challenges.”

Dr Price has significant experience of working on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research projects including the GCRF AHRC/MRC- funded Air Network project and the MRC-funded Tupumue lung health project.

She will be at world climate conference COP26 on November 11, as part of the Clean Air Communities Summit.

Clean Air Communities Summit event tickets

Information about the Clean Air Champions on the UKRI website