SFI Frontiers for the Future funding awarded to Dean Venables

2 Jun 2023

School of Chemistry lecturer, one of seven UCC projects awarded a combined €5,464,481 in the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Frontiers for the Future programme. Using a novel method, Dr Dean Venables' project will help to better understand the distribution of the traffic pollutant, nitrogen dioxide.

An innovative citizen science study in which pupils study air quality around their school is amongst the University College Cork projects funded under the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Frontiers of the Future programme. Air pollution is a serious public health problem and is responsible for 400,000 premature deaths in European annually. The LOCOMOSHUN project, led by Dr Dean Venables (School of Chemistry and Environmental Research Institute, College of Science Engineering and Food Science), aims to develop a low-cost novel optical sensor for a priority air pollutant, nitrogen dioxide. The developed sensors will also be demonstrated in a vehicle emissions study.

The SFI Frontiers for the Future Programme provides opportunities for independent investigators to conduct highly innovative, collaborative research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with the potential to deliver impact, whilst also providing opportunities for high-risk, high-reward research projects.

Low-Cost Monitoring using Spectroscopy for High quality information on Urban Nitrogen dioxide (LOCOMOSHUN): Air pollution is a serious public health problem, prematurely killing 400,000 Europeans every year. The LOCOMOSHUN project aims to develop a novel optical sensor for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), a priority air pollutant. Sensors developed in this project will be accurate and affordable, allowing them to be used to expand city air quality monitoring and extend it to towns and low-income countries. The sensors will be demonstrated in a vehicle emissions study and in an innovative citizen science study in which pupils study air quality around their schools.

Prof Anita Maguire, Head of School of Chemistry, congratulated Dr Venables saying “the School is delighted to see Dean’s innovative research supported through this prestigious Frontiers for the Future award from SFI and looks forward to exciting research outcomes.”

Professor Philip Nolan, Director General of Science Foundation Ireland, said: “I am delighted that we are funding 62 new research grants through the SFI Frontiers for the Future programme. A key action of SFI’s strategy is to deliver 140 investigator grants every year to support excellent research and to attract top talent. The Frontiers for the Future programme is the primary mechanism to achieve this goal. It is vital that we invest in excellent and innovative research in Ireland. I would like to thank the Children’s Health Foundation and Geological Survey Ireland for collaborating on this programme with SFI, allowing us to fund projects which will have a significant impact in key areas.”

Other UCC funding awardees are:

• Professor Marcus J Claesson (School of Microbiology and APC Microbiome Ireland, College of Science Engineering and Food Science and College of Medicine and Health).
• Dr Zili Li (School of Engineering & Architecture, College of Science Engineering and Food Science).
• Professor Ruth Massey (School of Microbiology and School of Medicine, APC Microbiome Ireland, College of Science Engineering and Food Science and College of Medicine and Health).
• Dr Marguerite Nyhan (School of Engineering & Architecture, Environmental Research Institute and MaREI Centre for Energy, Climate & Marine, College of Science Engineering and Food Science).
• Professor Liam O'Mahony (School of Medicine, School of Microbiology, APC Microbiome Ireland, College of Medicine and Health).
• Professor Astrid Wingler (School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences and Environmental Research Institute, College of Science Engineering and Food Science).