The Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering is interviewing two candidates for a tenure track position in Engineering Design. Each candidate is invited to provide a public presentation and everyone is welcome to attend. Dr. Scott Flemming will present on August 11, 2022, at 9:30 am and Dr. Stephanie Roth on August 12, at 10 am, both in FSDE 205.

Dr. Stephanie Roth (10:00 am August 12, 2022, FSDE 205)

Engineering design and development of a gaseous pollution control device (GPCD); with emphasis on sustainability and human health implications.

Ambient air pollution is a worldwide problem, on a scale such that air pollution is now a leading cause of human morbidity and mortality. Pollution is not limited to the outdoor environment, but infiltrates inside impacting the air where people live and work.

One gaseous pollutant, nitrogen oxides (NOx), is selected as a focal point. To establish its merit, research examined NOx’s influence on sustainability and human health. Findings establish NOx as an encompassing indicator for global sustainability and a metric for gauging progress towards decarbonization. Additionally, a review of health literature indicated an astounding number and variety of negative health impacts resulting from ambient NOx exposure, with risks of mental health effects exceeding physical impacts. The identification of sustainability and human health implications of ambient NOx clearly establishes a need to reduce ambient levels worldwide. 

Indoor air quality can be improved through numerous avenues, but no current methods or technologies are capable of removing ambient NOx in a safe, sustainable fashion. Photocatalytic removal is potentially effective in removing NOx, and a patented photocatalyst offers solutions to the barriers that have prevented effective NOx removal with existing technologies. Engineering design was undertaken to develop a Gaseous Pollution Control Device (GPCD) prototype, including the importance of sustainability considerations throughout the design process. The final prototype design has been patented and rigorously tested in the lab. Commercial versions of the GPCD units were professionally manufactured. These units were then validated in industrial pilot tests that confirmed the real-world efficacy of the GPCD in removing ambient NOx, and other gaseous pollutants. Implementing the GPCD for indoor ambient air purification will safely and effectively reduce indoor pollutant concentrations and enhance health for individuals in the local environment.