Developing Central Asian Universities Air Quality Knowledge Hub

Air quality is a pressing issue that impacts quality of life and health around the world. However, the impact of pollution in Central Asia is not well studied on an international level. Through the Central Asia University Partnerships Program (UniCEN), administered by American Councils for International Education and funded by the U.S. State Department through the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, universities in the United States, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are tackling the issue through the creation of an Air Quality Knowledge Hub.

Spearheaded by Washington University in St Louis, Tashkent Institute of Irrigation Agricultural Mechanization Engineers (TIIAME), American University of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan, and the Physical-Technical Institute at the Academy of Sciences, the Air Quality Knowledge Hub is gathering data on air quality in the region. Dr. Jay Turner, professor of Energy, Environment, and Chemical Engineering at Washington University, developed a model to assess the impact of pollution on health from ground-based measurements

In May 2022, Dr. Turner met with faculty and students at TIIAME to present data on fine particulate air pollution and its impact on health in Central Asia. In his presentations, Dr. Turner presented two instruments used to measure air quality to continue gathering of data. Through this collaboration, U.S. and Central Asian scientists are advancing research in an area with broader impact on health in the region.