EPICS in IEEE Fuelsโ Student-Led Air Quality Monitoring in North Macedonia
A team โof students โขfrom Sts.Cyril and Methodiusโค University in Skopje, North Macedonia, has developed a system to monitor โขand publicize local air โคpollution levels, focusing on protecting the health of schoolchildren. โThe project, โcalled “What We Breathe,” was createdโ through EPICS in IEEE, a โprogram designed to provide hands-on engineering experience while addressing real-world challenges. Air pollution is โฃfrequently โenough describedโ as having “warning signs-known as โฃsilent killers.”
The initiative aims to raise awareness and improve health outcomes,โ particularly for children whose “lungs and immune systems are still developing, making them one of ourโ population’s most vulnerable demographics,” according to Andrei Ilievski,โข an IEEE student member majoring in computerโฃ hardware engineering and electronics.
Ten university students โคcollaboratedโฃ with high schools, faculty, and โthe โSocietyโ of Environmental Engineersโ of Macedonia to design and build โคa sensing and display โtool that โขutilizes โtheโข Internetโค to communicate data. the sensing unit detects particulate โคmatter, temperature, and humidity, โฃtransmitting data viaโ Wi-Fi to a public โคserver every five minutes. A separate displayโ unit then retrieves and presents this information.
“Our goal is to provide โpeople with information on current โคpollution levels so they can make informed decisions regarding their exposure and take protective measures,” ilievski explained.
project leader Josif Kjosev, an electronics professor at the โuniversity, highlighted the practical learning experience. “By leading everything from budget โขplanning to the final installation, Iโ have experienced โfirsthand all โthe stages of a real engineering project: scope definition, resource management, team coordination, troubleshooting, and delivering โขtangibleโ results,” said Rafael gustavo Ramos Noriega, a โteam member.
Since deployment, the team reports enthusiastic engagementโ from high school students. They hope to โexpand the project, โฃproviding devices toโ other schools in theโ areaโฃ and continuing toโข develop new versions.
“For most ofโ my life, my academic success hasโฃ been on paper,” Ilievski stated. โข”But thanks to our EPICS in โIEEE project, I finally have a real, โฃphysical object that I helped create. We’reโค grateful โfor the chance toโฃ make this project a reality and be part of something bigger.”
The project received โ$8,645 in funding from the IEEE’s โIMS (Microwave Theory and Techniques Society). This exemplifies how partnerships with IEEE โsocieties enhance the EPICS program, providing students with opportunities, mentorship, and travel grants.โฃ These collaborationsโ encourage students toโข apply IEEE-focused technologies to address real-world problems, fostering continued engagement with the organization and improving their communities.
Those โinterested inโค getting involved with EPICS can find more information on the program’s website.
