Imperial College
Silwood Park science fun day
As promised here are some piccies from the event we went to last weekend (10th July) at Silwood Park near Ascot. We were lucky to have a gorgeous sunny day (unlike the wet weekend just gone!) and there were loads of fun activities. Here is just a small selection...
The Silwood Park main building - what a nice place to go to work - it was very peaceful there with lots of trees and open space. I was envious (but then I do get to walk underneath a dinosaur to get to my office each morning which is also pretty cool!).
Lots of people getting involved...
Me at the Bugs Count stand, showing some of our live bugs collected earlier that morning...
A family pond dipping as part of the OPAL Water Survey, being helped by Neil (in the white T-shirt).
The OPAL Weather Roadshow - this was the first time I'd seen the roadshow as it's been travelling around the country all year. You can try being a weather presenter, or make a tornado in a bottle! In front of the trailer are candice who works on OPAL at Imperial College in London, and Geoff Jenkins from the Royal Meteorological Society who helped to develop the OPAL Climate Survey.
And last but by no means least, Sarah, the OPAL media and communications officer. She arrived in style on the back of Martin's motorbike (Martin works with us here at the NHM on OPAL too). Sarah's keen to get involved in writing this museum blog, so look out for guest posts by her over the coming weeks!
(nice picture!)
OPAL Air Centre
Join our science fun days and learn more about air pollution
Air pollution is an issue of global importance and understanding its impact on the natural environment is one of the biggest challenges facing biologists.
Understanding the impact of air pollution
The new OPAL Air Centre at Imperial College's Silwood Park campus in Berkshire is home to an experimental open top study chamber so we can expose plants to air pollutants, particularly ozone, in a controlled and measured way.
Our research is focussed on understanding the impact of pollution on individual plants, plant communities, and important ecological functions.
Open days and summer schools
We organise open days and summer schools so that groups can learn about the role of air pollution in shaping the natural environment and join in our scientific research. The aim is to help people develop a detailed understanding of this subject.
Get involved
Come along to a science fun day or summer school, or visit the Air Centre. We can also help you run activities in your own school or community, or arrange to visit you. If you are a teacher or leader of a youth or community group please contact us about setting up a talk or activities.
March 2010 update - OPAL Air Centre on the road
The OPAL Air Centre took its road show 'Air Science in Science week' to selected schools in Hounslow during National Science and Engineering Week. We worked with children with behavioural and moderate learning difficulties at two schools in the borough, Lindon-Bennet School and Cedars Primary School.
Students benefitted from a unique opportunity to work with research scientists on a range of fun and interactive learning activities. If your school would be interested in a visit from the Air Centre staff use the contact details below.
Contact us
Emma Green: opalair [at] imperial [dot] ac [dot] uk
Join in the OPAL air survey
Investigate lichens on trees and find out about local air pollution.
Join in the OPAL water survey
How healthy is your local lake or pond? Identify the invertebrates that live there to find out.
OPAL Air Centre is led by Imperial College, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot
OPAL Air
How does air pollution affect our natural environment?
Dr William Purvis of the Natural History Museum talks about lichens in London, past and present.
We want to raise awareness of how air pollution and climate change shape our environment and help everyone understand the global issues it raises.
OPAL Air research
Our scientists are conducting a number of research projects to investigate the impacts of climate change and air pollution. You can learn more about this work on the Air Centre and Climate Change Research Centre pages.
Air survey - take part today
Help us monitor local air quality throughout England.
Dr Nathan Callaghan of the OPAL Air Centre discusses the tar spot of sycamore activity in the OPAL air survey
By recording lichens on trees and tar spot on sycamore leaves, you can help our scientists answer important questions about the impacts of local air pollution.
The OPAL air survey is the second in a series of six OPAL surveys exploring the state of our environment. Everyone can take part in this valuable research project, all you need is one of our survey packs, which can be downloaded from the air survey pages.
Discover more about lichens
Lichen guide - an online guide to the air survey indicator lichens.
British Lichen Society - A society dedicated to stimulating and advancing interest in lichenology.
British Lichens - A large collection of images of British lichens.
Policy and regulation
If you are interested in learning more about government policy on air quality then please visit:
Defra - www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/air/air-quality.
Air Pollution Information System (APIS) - www.apis.ac.uk.
Contact us
opalair@imperial.ac.uk
OPAL Air is led by Imperial College, Silwood Campus, Ascot
OPAL Soil Centre
Soil is one of the world’s most precious natural resources - help us find out more about it
Dr Martin Head of Imperial College discusses the soil and earthworm survey
Soil is vital for plants and for food production. It also provides a home for a vast array of life. Soil stores and filters water, and provides the important foundation for buildings. The world would be a very different place without it.
Despite all these vital functions, much less is known about soil than air or water. We need to build a greater understanding of soil so we can sustain its functions and tackle local and global environmental challenges.
OPAL Soil Centre research
The OPAL Soil Centre is coordinating the soil and earthworm survey and a series of research projects. We hope to fill the gaps in our scientific knowledge and encourage more people to get their hands dirty making their own soil discoveries.
Get involved
We want local schools and community groups to visit our study plots and work alongside our scientists. You can get involved by taking measurements of soil quality and pollution, surveying soil-dwelling organisms and recording your findings online. The data will be compared with past records to explore how the soil environment is changing over time.
Inner-city pollution
We want to learn more about soil pollution - the sources, how it moves through the soil and how it affects soil quality.
We are working closely with the Environment Agency and the Natural History Museum and are focussing particularly on inner-city areas, where pollution has greatest impact. This research will help with the future management of biosolids recycling - returning nutrients and organic matter reclaimed from wastewater to the land as fertiliser.
Soil and earthworm survey
We are co-ordinating the soil and earthworm survey, which is open to everyone. The survey aims to build a picture of soil quality and earthworm populations all over England.
Policy and regulation
If you are interested in learning more about government and EU policy on soil and soil biodiversity then please visit:
- Defra
- Environment Agency
- Natural England
- European Commission
- European Commission Joint Research Centre
- BGS Soil Portal
Contact us
opalsoil [at] imperial [dot] ac [dot] uk
OPAL Soil Centre is led by Imperial College, London