Past Winner
2021 NSERC Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering

The Southern Ontario Centre for Atmospheric Aerosol Research (SOCAAR) unites the talent of experts from engineering, environmental science, medicine, public health and government to study the sources and impacts of air pollution. Through innovative monitoring techniques and collaborating across disciplines, their work is informing strategies to improve the air quality in urban areas by understanding and responding to the health implications of traffic pollution.

After a major SOCAAR study measured emissions from several million vehicles and revealed that it is high-polluting trucks emitting the majority of key pollutants, the Government of Ontario announced a new policy refocusing emissions testing and enforcement on trucks instead of cars. Other SOCAAR studies have shown that Canadian seasons have an impact on the prevalence of specific pollutants like black carbon and toluene, and they have linked the presence of urban pollution to health issues like hypertension and respiratory ailments. The research advancements and air monitoring technologies developed by the team at SOCAAR are illuminating the extent that pollutants affect the nearly one-third of Canadians dwelling near major traffic sources, and steering us toward healthier communities for Canadians.

In recognition of their valuable contributions to the fields of environmental science, public health and engineering, the researchers at the Southern Ontario Centre for Atmospheric Aerosol Research are awarded the 2021 NSERC Brockhouse Prize.

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