Recent Alum’s Air Pollution Planning Extends From Campus to Community

Simran Patel presents her research on Developing a Tufts Air Quality Plan to attendees at the ENVS symposium

As climate change raises global temperatures, it is intensifying drought conditions across New England. In Massachusetts, this poses the threat of increasing wildfires and worsening air quality. Simran Patel, A25, focused on preparing Tufts to face this threat.

As a Sustainable Solutions Fellow, Simran helped the campus community understand and respond to the impacts of wildfire smoke on air quality. Partnering with Rebecca Ping, Rich Perito, and the rest of the team at Tufts Office of Emergency Management, Simran translated complex guidance from the Environmental Protection Agency into clear, actionable resources.

Her work now lives on the university’s Weather Preparation webpage, offering the Tufts community essential tools to monitor air quality in real time, take health precautions, and respond to smoke events, which is especially important for people in sensitive health groups.

But her impact didn’t stop there. Simran also presented to local leaders in Medford and Somerville, extending her reach beyond campus. Her work serves as a resource for members of the surrounding community to know when to avoid outdoor activities based on the Air Quality Index and recognize symptoms of exposure.

At its core, her project makes one thing clear: sustainability and public health can’t be separated. And equity means making sure everyone has access to life-saving information when it matters most. Thanks to Simran’s work, Tufts and its neighbors are more prepared to handle the realities of a smoke-filled future. And her research has laid the foundation for a future Solutions Fellow to continue this work with OEM.