Center for Environmental Research & Technology

UCR Partners with RUSD and Empower You on Community Air Quality Awareness Program

June 19, 2025

The University of California, Riverside, in partnership with Riverside Unified School District and non-profit organization Empower You Edutainment,

launched the Community Air Quality Awareness Program, an initiative funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) through its Cycle 4 Community Air Grants Program. The goal of the program is to increase public understanding of air pollution and its health impacts, while providing students and community members with tools to participate in data collection, scientific analysis, and environmental advocacy.

At the heart of this effort is a commitment to building community capacity around air quality issues. UC Riverside faculty, staff, and students work directly with local high school students and other community members to explore how air pollution affects their neighborhoods and daily lives. Through a series of interactive workshops, UCR students learned how to operate and deploy air monitors, map local emissions sources, and visualize data trends. They were then able to help groups of high school students with air quality projects. The program emphasizes not just technical skill-building, but also creativity and communication. Participants were encouraged to use art and storytelling to amplify their findings and connect their experiences to broader environmental themes.

The Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) supported the project through mentorship and research engagement, helping to bridge university expertise with local lived experience. UCR student Kiara Salgado served as one of the program’s mentors, working closely with middle and high school participants to guide their project development and data interpretation. 

“It was an incredibly rewarding experience to work on this project and be able to mentor younger individuals as they explored critical topics like air quality and environmental impacts,” said Salgado. “Providing guidance not only allowed me to share my own knowledge and care for environmental sustainability, but also gave me a chance to reflect on my own understanding. Along the way, I gained new perspectives and insights from their fresh ideas and enthusiasm, making it a collaborative and meaningful experience.”

By blending hands-on science with creative expression, the program offered students a unique opportunity to engage with environmental data in a way that felt both personal and empowering. The year-long effort will conclude with a public summit, where students will present their work to community members, educators, and policy leaders. These final presentations are intended to spark dialogue around local air quality challenges and to demonstrate how youth-led inquiry can contribute to long-term environmental solutions.

Two short videos produced as part of the project provide a glimpse into the workshops and student experiences: Community Air Quality Awareness Program Overview and Student Experience: Building Knowledge and Empowerment. As a campus committed to environmental justice and community collaboration, UCR is proud to be part of this initiative and to help equip the next generation of environmental leaders.