From Research to Action: Bridging Air Quality, Citizen Engagement, and Urban Sustainability
— A Journey Shaped by Global Experiences and Local Impact

Dr. Ashish Sharma holds a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Surrey (UK), where his research on reducing air pollution exposure in young children gained global recognition and was featured in BBC, Forbes, and The Telegraph. He has conducted research at leading institutions including University of Surrey (UK), GIST (South Korea), Macquarie University (Australia), and the University of Toledo (USA).

Dr Sharma has presented at major international forums such as the Cambridge Particle Meeting, IAQM (UK), World Environment Expo 2022, Smart Cities Conference New Delhi 2017 and several other conferences across Australia, Brazil, Egypt, UK and the U.S. His expertise spans air quality, exposure science, urban sustainability, and public health. He is passionate about bridging science, policy, and community action to build cleaner, healthier cities.

This is the first in a two-part series exploring how India can build cleaner, more just, and breathable cities by putting people, not policies, at the heart of climate action.

What if the fight for clean air isn’t just about emissions and enforcement, but about strollers, footpaths, and the quiet resilience of everyday people?

Dr. Ashish Sharma’s journey from global research labs to India’s smog-choked streets reveals a truth we often overlook: real change begins when science meets empathy. In a world where babies breathe in more pollutants than their parents and the urban poor suffer silently while policies stall, Sharma shows us how citizen science, behavioural shifts, and grassroots innovation can pave the way for cities that not only survive but breathe.

From global labs to local streets

How do we make our cities cleaner, our air safer, and our communities stronger? After spending over a decade working in laboratories, classrooms, field projects, and ministries, I’ve come to believe that the answers lie not only in data or policy but also in people.

My journey from academic labs in the UK (University of Surrey, Guildford), Australia (Macquarie University, Sydney), South Korea (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology), and the US (University of Toledo, Ohio) to the bustling lanes of Delhi (TRIPP IIT Delhi) and Aligarh (Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh, UP) has taught me that urban sustainability is not just a scientific puzzle but a deeply human challenge.

In this piece, I want to share the lessons I’ve gathered through research, risk, and real-world engagement about how cleaner air and more livable cities are not distant dreams but within reach.

The hidden emergency in our breath

Air pollution doesn’t knock on your door. It seeps in quietly—through windows, lungs, and childhoods. In India, it contributes to nearly one in every ten deaths. During my PhD at the University of Surrey, I focused on one of the most vulnerable groups—babies in prams.

Our findings were startling: children in prams are exposed to up to 60% more pollutants than adults. Their breathing height puts them right in line........

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