EarthSense Systems Appoints Professor Paul Monks

Professor Paul Monks, a leading name in earth observation science, air quality and climate change, has joined the board of EarthSense Systems as a Non-Executive Director. EarthSense Systems, a new joint venture between aerial mapping company Bluesky and the University of Leicester, is set to spearhead innovations in air quality monitoring with a range of products and services, including delivering static sensors, data modelling and derived datasets to UK local and central government organisations.

“Paul is a leading name in air quality and his research and academic achievements are globally respected and recognised,” commented James Eddy, Managing Director of EarthSense Systems. “His appointment to the EarthSense board is important as it heralds a new era in commercial air quality monitoring solutions.”

Professor Monks is Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Leicester, and in these roles has overall strategic and operational responsibility for the College whilst being a member of the University Leadership team. A Professor in Atmospheric Chemistry and Earth Observation Science, he is a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the European representative on the Environmental Pollution and Atmospheric Chemistry Scientific Steering Committee (EPAC SSC) of the World Meteorological Organisation and iCACGP (international Commission on Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Pollution).

Professor Monks’ research covers the broad areas of air quality, atmospheric composition and climate change. He is the chair of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (DEFRA) Air Quality Group that provides independent science advice on air quality, and a member of DEFRA’s Science Advisory Council. He also sits on the Satellite Applications Catapult advisory group, the Royal Society Global Environmental Research Committee and the NERC audit committee.

“I am pleased to be joining the EarthSense board at such an exciting time,” added Professor Monks. “The company has already achieved some significant results translating academic studies into real world projects, and I am looking forward to continuing this work.”

EarthSense projects to date have already included trials of an airborne air quality mapper, air pollution monitoring equipment on a rocket and mobile mapping with air quality sensors mounted in electric cars. Future plans include the establishment of a nationwide network of air quality monitoring sensors, feeding live data for up to the minute air quality predictions.

Contacts:
EarthSense, +44 (0)1530 518555, [email protected]
www.earthsense.co.uk