Air quality research lab opens at University of York

UK’s ‘first’ dedicated laboratory building for atmospheric chemistry will foster research on air quality and climate change

The UK’s first dedicated laboratory for atmospheric chemistry has officially opened at the University of York, enabling ‘world-leading’ research into air quality, ozone depletion and climate change.

Supported by a £1.25 million grant from the Wolfson Foundation and a ‘major donation from a benefactor’, the Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratories will bring together the University of York and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) in order to tackle current and emerging atmospheric chemistry issues.

The Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratories at the University of York will foster research into air quality (photo: Ian Martindale)

Officially opened last week (March 17) by Professor A R Ravishankara from the Departments of Chemistry and Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University in the USA, the research building will house faculty staff; post-doctoral researchers; postgraduates and undergraduates undertaking research; and external research staff from the NCAS and Defra.

The laboratories include facilities for trace gas measurements and chemical metrology; studies of aerosol and gas phase processes; atmosphere-biosphere exchange, and computer modelling of chemical mechanisms and atmospheric transport.

Professor Alastair Lewis from the University’s Department of Chemistry and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science led the development of the project.

He commented: “As well as bringing together the atmospheric research teams from the Department of Chemistry, the Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratories will provide an experimental and modelling infrastructure for interdisciplinary research across the University. The shared workspace has been specifically designed to enhance science-to-policy translation and further increase our active engagement with UK businesses.”

Paul Ramsbottom, chief executive of the Wolfson Foundation, said: “The Wolfson Foundation promotes and supports excellence and we are delighted again to be able to support the University of York. The University’s research in atmospheric chemistry is exceptionally strong. It is an area of great significance and yet, despite this, there is a relatively paucity of outstanding groups working in this field in the UK.”