Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $24,131 grant to Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana for research into implementation of cost-effective techniques to reduce of indoor air pollutants in classroom environments as part of the Agency’s People, Prosperity, and the Planet (P3) program.
“EPA’s P3 program, now in its twentieth year, is an exciting and unique program that recognizes the power of students to translate imagination and science into new solutions that protect human health and the environment,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “Congratulations to this year’s teams. Their innovative projects tackle critical environmental issues and include an eco-friendly coating to reduce contamination in marine environments, a device to remove microplastics from stormwater, an air monitoring and filtration technology to reduce student exposures to air pollutants, and more.”
With this funding, Purdue University aims to improve air quality in school classrooms. The team will utilize low-cost, cloud-based air quality sensors for monitoring of common indoor air pollutants, then analyze indoor air pollutant sources and engineer a design for affordable indoor air exposure solutions. The performance of portable air filtration units will be evaluated for K-12 classroom environments, and the outcomes of the work will inform teachers and administrators on how air filters can be used to reduce student exposure to health-hazardous air pollutants.
P3 is a competitive grants program which offers university and college students the opportunity to take a leading role in scientific and engineering research. EPA awarded 21 P3 Phase I grants in 2023. The grant winners receive up to $25,000 each to help them develop their proof of concept and will be eligible to compete for a Phase II grant of up to $100,000 to further implement their designs.