Pandemic Engineering: Accessible Tools for Lowering Risk and Spread of Infection

Speaker: Richard Corsi, Dean, College of Engineering, UC Davis
Speaker bio: Richard L. Corsi, Ph.D., P.E., is dean of engineering at the University of California, Davis. He spent most of his career at the University of Texas as a faculty member, department chair, and endowed research chair in the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, and as a member of the institution’s prestigious Academy of Distinguished Teachers. Dr. Corsi is an internationally-recognized expert in the field of indoor air quality, with a specific interest in physical and chemical interactions between pollutants and indoor materials. During the pandemic, he has delivered numerous national webinars on layered risk reduction to reduce the spread of COVID-19, completed modeling to underscore scenarios of high risk, developed educational tools for school districts and conceptualized a highly effective new air cleaner for respiratory aerosols that has become known as the “Corsi-Rosenthal box”. He was inducted into the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climates’ Academy of Fellows in 2008 and is past President of the Academy. He is currently chairing a National Academies committee on Health Risks of Indoor Exposures to Fine Particulate Matter and Practical Mitigation Solutions.

Abstract: COVID-19 is an airborne infectious disease. As such, far more attention should be paid to reducing the inhalation dose of virus-laden aerosol particles in both the near field (close contact) and far-field (shared indoor air). This presentation will provide background on the infector to receptor pathway for transmission of COVID-19, and engineering approaches to disrupt transmission by reducing the inhaled dose of respiratory aerosols. Particular attention will be paid to the development of technologies that are more accessible to those without the resources needed to reduce infections in their own families, schools, and general communities. The Corsi-Rosenthal box will be discussed as an example of a highly effective and relatively low-cost do-it-yourself air cleaner that is sweeping North America and beyond.

About the Series: CITRIS Research Exchange delivers fresh perspectives on information technology and society from distinguished academic, industry, and civic leaders. Free and open to the public, this series highlights leading voices on societal-scale research issues. Each seminar takes place on Wednesdays from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm PT. Have a suggestion for a great speaker? Please use this form to suggest potential speakers for our series.

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