In Lombardy, the main objectives of the educational campaign will continue to be pursued “The Science of Air”, an educational project conceived and promoted by Dyson with the support of James Dyson Foundation and his smart backpack.
“The science of air”, the project with the Dyson smart backpack
This project involves, for the SY 2022-2023, 350 classi of primary and lower secondary schools throughout Lombardy, for a total of 8.500 male and female students aged 9 to 14.
The second phase of the campaign includes, in addition to educational activities and workshops to be carried out at school, also one unpublished study which measures the exposure of 9 children from Milanese institutes to air pollution during i their home-school-home commute thanks to Dyson’s smart backpack, capable of monitoring air quality.
The backpack created by Dyson is a portable air sensing device which collects data on air pollution in real time and on the go. This is made possible by the integrated sensors, battery and GPS, allowing the backpack to intercept PM2.5, PM10, volatile organic compounds (VOC), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2).
Students asked to wear the Dyson backpack will do so for a period of approximately two weeks, after which the data collected will be analyzed within the Dyson Research and Development laboratories in England.
The main objective
The main objective is not only to understand the type of atmosphere that blows in Milan, but above all to empower children, transforming them into real little air quality scientists, raise awareness in the community and collect valuable data.
“We were very impressed by the enthusiasm with which the students welcomed the activities,” she said Sarah Riscazziteacher of the school San Colombano of the IC Ilaria Alpi.
“The materials we received as part of the project are based on hands-on learning and experimentation, in line with our Montessori didactics and pedagogy, thus helping classes to connect the theory learned in class with problems and solutions in the real world, outside the school walls. It is precisely thanks to educational collaborations with this type of planning and connections with the reality that surrounds us that the future citizens of tomorrow can be educated and raised”.
“Through this project proposed by Dyson – he said Anna Chiara Pipitoneteacher of the Dolci dell’ complexLuigi Cadorna Comprehensive Institute of Milan-, the students not only participate as protagonists in the survey on air quality, but touch the problem and the need to find a solution to one of the most important global emergencies of this last period: air pollution.
Students thus have the opportunity to work by developing entrepreneurial skills and stimulating critical thinking and the spirit of collaboration, both essential principles for planning any initiative that has a social and cultural value for the community. Only from the synergy between different roles can real solutions arise and what better place than the school, to start informing, educating and inspiring our kids to technologies to protect the environment and future generations?”.
Finally, the project “The science of air” has officially entered the Green Community of the School Regeneration Plan promoted by the Ministry of Education, aimed at enhancing and implementing the best educational projects dedicated to schools, in line with the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.