When citizen science meets urban climate: The Sydney Schools Weather and Air Quality (SWAQ) monitoring network

Abstract

<p>Sydney’s population is predicted to grow by 30% within twenty years, most of which is slated for the semi-rural fringes. The resulting urbanisation will adversely impact temperature and air quality in these areas of rapid population growth. Currently there are few meteorological and air quality observational sites to adequately monitor the effects of this increased urbanisation on local weather and air quality. This poster will discuss the development of a citizen science project- Schools Weather and Air Quality (SWAQ), which installed meteorology and air quality sensors in schools across Sydney. The sites complement existing networks to target regions lacking monitoring sites e.g., urban growth areas on the rural fringe. Students analyse this research quality data in science, maths, and geography curriculum-aligned classroom activities. The data is freely available online to the public and researchers, enabling everyone to visualize the data and the current weather and air quality at each school's location. SWAQ’s data has been published on TERN- Australia’s Terrestrial Ecosystem Network. The data has been used to assess spatial variability in particulate pollution during Sydney’s black summer wildfires, and the relationship between air pollution and meteorological variables with respect to the built environment and local geography. SWAQ’s success in citizen engagement was recognized as a 2021 Australian Eureka Prize for Innovation in Citizen Science finalist. </p>