University of Birmingham and Clean Air Fund launch reprise Clean Air Fellowship

The McCall MacBain Clean Air Fellowship was launched last year by The Clean Air Fund and the University of Birmingham, with the support of the McCall MacBain Foundation with the aim of ‘developing the next generation of leaders for the clean air movement’ and it has now been announced that the scheme will run again this year.

As such a search has begun for five (up from three in 2022) students from the UK, Central and Eastern Europe to pursue a one year master’s degree in Air Pollution, Management and Control at the University. The Fellowship will include course fees and a stipend to cover living, visa and travel costs.

Fellows will benefit from a tailored programme of masterclasses and career development opportunities such as practical experience and networking provided by the University and the Clean Air Fund.

Applicants a expected to show a strong rationale for studying air pollution and commit to tackling the problem through their career choice after they graduate.  One of last year’s trio of fellows was Lejla Ademi, from Tetova, North Macedonia – which suffers from the worst air quality in Europe.

Lejla said: ‘Being part of a global community of air pollution experts will give me the skillsets to work with the North Macedonian Ministry of Environment to help the people of my city and country.’

The Air Pollution Management and Control course takes an interdisciplinary approach, utilising expertise across departments for a holistic understanding of air pollution and its effects. Birmingham has over 100 researchers studying clean air from across its five colleges. The campus operates state-of-the-art pollution research facilities, which have been commissioned for several air pollution studies.

Francis Pope, Professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of Birmingham, commented: ‘The University of Birmingham is passionate about clean air – we’re at the forefront of research on the causes and effects of air pollution upon human health across the United Kingdom and across the globe.

‘Building on the programme’s success in its first year, we believe the Fellowships will be instrumental in producing the next generation of clean air leaders; young scientists with the tools to understand and unlock the twin threats of air pollution and climate change.

‘The UN recognises that air pollution and climate change are two sides of the same coin. We’re just starting to understand how the two relate and the possible consequences and impact of air pollution on climate change. This programme is building into an important step towards understanding and addressing these challenges.’