Our innovative new educational resource helping pupils understand the science and impact of air pollution was developed with support from the Sustainability and Resilience Institute (SRI) through its Clean Air South network.
Clean Air South, which works with partners across southern England to tackle air pollution through research, collaboration and public engagement, supported the programme through academic assurance to help ensure the scientific content reflects current research.
Academics from the University of Southampton who contributed to the programme included SRI Director Professor Craig Hutton, Professor Sir Stephen Holgate, Research Fellow Sian Campbell and Professor Mary Barker, Institute for Life Sciences Deputy Director. The team also facilitated a collaborative workshop, bringing together educators and partners to help shape the programme and ensure the learning materials are engaging, relevant and accessible for schools and home educators.
“Working with the team on the internationally relevant Air We Breathe learning programme has been especially exciting – seeing students connect global environmental issues with their own local experiences is incredibly powerful,” said Tamsyn Lingard-Lane of Bembridge Church of England Primary School.
Jon Lawn, Collaboration Manager at the SRI, said, “Air pollution is one of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time, and empowering pupils to understand its causes, its impacts, and the solutions emerging from scientific research is vital. That is why we were so pleased to support the development of Air We Breathe. It provides a powerful way to translate cutting-edge research into accessible, meaningful learning experiences for the next generation.”