PAIR Seminar: Prof. William P. BAHNFLETH delivers "How Can We Realise the Aspirations of Indoor Air Science? Lessons from 30 Years Spent Trying to Improve Indoor Air Quality"

Abstract

The success of scientific endeavours, even when focused on practical issues, often results in little more than journal articles added to the body of knowledge and ideas for the next grant proposal. The desire for impact can be thwarted in many ways, and the path forward is arduous and requires a commitment to engagement that extends far beyond the careful performance and documentation of well-conceived research. Drawing from the experiences of the speaker, who has been involved in indoor air quality research for three decades, has presided over a 55,000-member global technical society, and participated in development of standards and advocacy activities, this presentation will identify the most common failure modes during his career and suggest ways in which they can be avoided. Topics discussed will include the need to understand the desired end point when formulating research and to engage with the full process needed to achieve it, the importance of breaking down disciplinary silos, the importance of communication with practitioners, the public, and regulators. Experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic provide the most recent illustrations of the issues discussed, but it will be shown that they have been present throughout the history of this field.