Indoor-outdoor continuum of aerosols Faraday Discussion

Welcome

Join us in Birmingham in June 2027 for this edition of the Faraday Discussion series focused on Indoor-outdoor continuum of aerosols. The Faraday Discussions are unique international discussion meetings that address current and emerging topics at the forefront of the physical sciences.

Why attend?

Find out more about Faraday Discussions in the video and FAQs – see Useful links on the right.

A unique conference format that prioritises discussion

At a Faraday Discussion, the primary research papers written by the speakers are distributed to all participants before the meeting – ensuring that most of the meeting is devoted to discussing the latest research.

This provides a genuinely collaborative environment, where discussion and debate are at the foreground. All delegates, not just speakers, are invited to make comments, ask questions, or present complementary or contradictory measurements and calculations.

An exciting programme of talks – and more

Take part in a well-balanced mix of talks, discussion, poster sessions and informal networking, delivered by our expert events team. You can explore the full programme in the downloadable files on the right – whether you’re attending in-person or online, every minute provides an opportunity.

The conference dinner, included in the registration fee, contains the Marlow Cup ceremony: a unique commemoration of past Faraday Discussion organisers that is sure to encourage further discussions over dinner.

In-depth discussion with leaders in the field

World-leading and established researchers connect with each other and early-career scientists and postgraduate students to discuss the latest research and drive science forwards. It’s a unique atmosphere – and challenging others to get to the heart of the problem is encouraged!

Your contributions, published and citable

A citable record of the discussion is published in the Faraday Discussions journal, alongside the research papers. Questions, comments and remarks become a valuable part of the published scientific conversation, and every delegate can make a major contribution

Themes

The aerosol indoor-outdoor continuum refers to the continuous transport and chemical transformation of airborne particles within and between outdoor and indoor environments.  While there is clear evidence that aerosols impact on health, we do not know enough about indoor aerosols and their physico-chemical behaviours to judge the risks of exposure to them compared to outdoor aerosols.  This Faraday Discussion will seek to improve our knowledge and understanding of these mechanisms and behaviours, with a view to developing adequate long-term strategies, a broader view of the aerosol indoor-outdoor continuum and a holistic consideration of future challenges and opportunities.

The Discussion will revolve around the following four interrelated themes.

Biomass burning aerosols

This session will seek to maximise scientific insights from modelling and measuring the effects of biomass burning on hugely different scales and with varying levels of accuracy. Discussions points will include:

-    Synergistic opportunities between reference-level instrumentation in laboratory and field, and latest low-cost sensor developments

-    Key instrument and modelling developments needed

-    Key knowledge gaps based on building stock, measurement locations and future infrastructure/facility developments 

Urban aerosols and local effects

This session will seek to bridge the gap between laboratory conditions and real-world urban environments. Discussions points will include:

-    What are the key processes that need to be represented in laboratory conditions and how can the insights gained be harvested for real-world applications?

-    What is the role of AI/machine learning for establishing key science insights from laboratory studies & conditions?

-    How important are chemical aerosol processes in urban indoor environments compared to aerosol transport?

Large-scale aerosol effects 

This session will discuss the range of approaches required to model large-scale aerosol effects, from urban to regional and global environments. Discussions points will include:

-    Synergistic opportunities between sophisticated, computationally expensive and simplistic modelling approaches that can be widely applied, but have limited use cases

-    Key model developments needed

-    Key knowledge gaps based currently available tools – what is needed and how can it be created considering future developments? 

Bio-aerosols

This session will address challenges such as establishing the fate of bio-aerosols based on their physico-chemical behaviours in diverse built environments, establishing exposures to viruses, spores and fungi indoors and pollen outdoors, and establishing representativeness of specific measurements for exposure across a target population group. Discussions points will include:

-    Latest bio-aerosol online measurement techniques and synergistic opportunities of laboratory-based analysis methods

-    How important are chemical processes for bio-aerosol lifetimes and fates?

-    Are there tracers or proxies that can be used to flag hazardous bio-aerosol hotspots?