21 August 2024, Bangkok, Thailand

On August 9, 2024, the EANET successfully concluded its Fellowship Program with a closing session held both in-person at Fudan University, in Shanghai, and online. The event marked the culmination of months of dedicated research and collaboration aimed at advancing air quality management and atmospheric science across the East Asian region.

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About the Fellowship

The Fellowship for Building Leadership in Atmospheric Environment and Air Quality Management in East Asia is a program organized by the Network Center for the EANET, hosted by the  Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP), in collaboration with Fudan University (FDU), in Shanghai, China, and Clean Air Asia (CAA). It aims to strengthen the research capacity of young government officers and researchers in the Participating Countries, particularly in developing countries. It seeks to promote research and scientific policy-making while developing leadership skills among EANET participants. The program encourages interdisciplinary research and enhances cooperation between academia and government to address complex challenges in the atmospheric environment in the EANET region. Additionally, it provides a platform for the next generation of researchers and government officials to engage in integrated discussions and reflections, preparing them to manage EANET in the future.

Open to participants from the 13 EANET Participating Countries, the program was held for six months in 2024 including two alternate on-site research sessions at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, and the Network Center for the EANET in Niigata, Japan, from July 15 to August 9, 2024. Five participants were selected, engaging in monthly online meetings and intensive on-site training from July 15 to August 9, 2024, with progress reporting and discussions with designated supervisors in both China and Japan.

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On-site Sessions in Japan and China

The on-site session started in Japan from July 15 to July 27, 2024, followed by China from July 28 to August 10, 2024.

In Japan, the first day started with the fellows’ introduction to the Research Plan & Progress Report, conducted both in-person at the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP) headquarters in Niigata, Japan, and online. The Opening Session was moderated by Dr. Ken Yamashita, Head of the Planning and Training Department, and the Opening Remarks were delivered by Dr. Toshimasa Ohara, Director General of ACAP, Mr. Bert Fabian, Coordinator, Secretariat for the EANET, Prof. Xu Tang, Executive Director of IRDR International Center of Excellence on Risk Interconnectivity and Governance on Weather/Climate Extremes Impact and Public Health at Fudan University (FDU-IRDR ICoE-RIG-WECEIPHE), and Dr. FU Lu, the China Director of Clean Air Asia. The speakers expressed their hopes that the fellows’ research would contribute to creating cleaner air across East Asia and that this program would serve as a strong foundation for international collaborative research. Supervisors from the Network Center for the EANET (NC) and research fellows discussed their research studies intensively at the NC for 2 weeks. During the program, Dr. Hajime Akimoto, Emeritus Research Fellow of the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) and Science Advisor of ACAP, delivered a lecture titled “Past and Present Challenges to Atmospheric Environmental Chemistry,” sharing scientific insights related to the expansion of EANET’s scope. Additionally, discussions were held with supervisors and researchers from ACAP about EANET’s future development & fellows’ contributions.

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In China, the on-site session was organized by the IRDR ICoE-RIG-WECEIPHE and MAP-AQ Aisan Office Shanghai, Fudan University. The fellows participated in the International Summer School Program on Climate Change and Related Risks held at Fudan University’s Jiangwan campus and joined discussions, under the supervision of FDU. The program featured lectures by several internationally acclaimed scholars and leaders in their respective fields. Additionally, the fellows visited the greenhouse gas lab and atmospheric chemistry lab of the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, FDU, the Shanghai Environmental Monitoring Center, and the relevant facilities related to air quality management. Fudan University also gifted souvenirs and cultural shirts with the logo of this year’s training course to the fellows and organizers.

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Highlights of Fellows’ Presentations

The session featured five fellows, each presenting their research projects, which covered a broad spectrum of atmospheric and environmental studies.

• Indonesia: The fellow, from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), presented his study on the impact of anabatic and katabatic winds on the dispersion and concentration of PM2.5 in Bandung Basin, utilizing the WRF-Chem Model.
• Malaysia: The fellow, from the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MMD), focused on the long-term trends of acid deposition in Malaysia and the corresponding impacts of forest fires.
• Myanmar: The fellow, a Staff Officer at Myanmar’s Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), provided an overview of air quality in Yangon, highlighting significant challenges and potential solutions.
• The Philippines: The fellow, from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Department of Environment and Natural Resources, discussed her research on determining potential EANET monitoring sites based on sulfur dioxide emissions in the northern region – Northeastern Pangasinan.
• Russia: The fellow, from the Yu.A. Izrael Institute of Global Climate and Ecology (IGCE), shared her findings on acidifying compounds runoff discharge and its variations at the Pereemnaya River, Baikal Lake Region.

Following the presentations, participants provided feedback and comments that underscored the importance of such collaborative research efforts. Supervisors from FDU and ACAP, along with other participants, offered their insights, fostering a rich exchange of knowledge and ideas.

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Closing Remarks and Future Prospects

The event, moderated by Prof. Xu Tang, concluded with remarks from Prof. Meng Fan, the Deputy Director General, Asia Center for Air Pollution Research, from Mr. Bert Fabian, Coordinator, the Secretariat for the EANET, from Prof. Renhe Zhang, Former Vice President of Fudan University, and Dr. Wei Wan, China Program Director, Clean Air Asia. In their remarks, the speakers commended the fellows for their exceptional work and encouraged continued collaboration. The session highlighted the significant strides made through the program in building leadership in air quality management in East Asia, setting a strong foundation for future initiatives.

The Closing Session concluded with Professor Renhe Zhang, Former Vice President of Fudan University, Dean, the Institute of Atmospheric Science (IAS), FDU Director, FDU/IRDR International Center of Excellence, and WMO/IGAC MAP-AQ Asian Office in Fudan University, presenting the completion certificates to the fellows on behalf of the program organizers.

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The Fellowship for Building Leadership in Atmospheric Environment and Air Quality Management in East Asia program has been approved at the Twenty-fifth Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting (IG25) on the EANET, as a Project Activity, co-funded by the EANET Project Fund, Fudan University, and Clean Air Asia.

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View the photos on Flickr.

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Photo credits: all rights reserved to EANET.