Air pollution expert wins top international award

The International Aerosol Research Assembly has awarded Professor Ian Colbeck with the International Aerosol Fellow Award for his outstanding contributions to aerosol science.

Professor Colbeck, from our School of Life Sciences (formerly School of Biological Sciences), won the award for his role within the aerosol field nationally and internationally as well as for the fundamental research he conducted on the significance of poor indoor air quality in developing countries.

"It’s a great honour to receive this award particularly given the previous recipients,” said Professor Colbeck. “However, it wouldn’t have been possible without the input from all my research students and collaborators at Essex."

Professor Colbeck has a long-standing interest in environmental issues, especially those involving air quality, nanoparticles and bioaerosols, and has authored and co-authored over 300 scientific papers, reports and edited several books. He often speaks on air pollution issues in the UK and abroad and was presented with his award at the International Aerosol Conference in the United States earlier this month.

Aerosols influence many areas of our daily lives. They are central to many environmental problems such as air pollution and climate change. However, aerosols can also have beneficial effects such as being commonly used to deliver drugs.

Aerosol science as an academic subject in the UK can trace its origins to the Department of Chemistry at Essex in the early 1970s. Essex was also the first academic institution in the UK to offer an MSc in Aerosol Science and Technology.