Jim McQuaid is an atmospheric scientist based in the Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science at the University of Leeds where he did both his undergraduate and postgraduate studies. His research is primarily focused upon observations of the composition of both gas phase and aerosol species in the atmosphere. Over the last 25 years he has participated in a large number of research campaigns both ground-based and airborne including ACSOE, EXPORT, SAFARI2K, NAMBLEX, ITOP, RICO, DABEX/DODO, AMMA, EUCAARI-LONGREX, OP3, VOCALS, AMISA, Fennec, SAMBBA, ICE-ACCACIA and ICE-D. He was extensively involved in the conversion of existing instrumentation (WAS & VACC) and design and development of new instruments (PAN & ORAC) for deployment on the UK 146 atmospheric research aircraft (FAAM). For a long time he also had some funding as a NCAS (National Centre for Atmospheric Science) aircraft scientist.
Opting for a more leisurely pace, in September/October 2013, Jim sailed across the US from Cape Canaveral, Florida to the Pacific coast in Monterey, California in a 60 metre long airship as one of the team for an exciting new BBC series. Operation Cloud Lab: Secrets of the Skies is “one of television’s most ambitious experiments on the atmosphere”. He also providing scientific and technical advice to the production team for the programme which was broadcast in July 2014. He also made clouds as part of Richard Hammond’s Wild Weather series and has contributed to BBC iWonder (cloud weighing and perfect sunrise). For a number of years he was a regular contributor to the weekly Paul Hudson Weathershow which was broadcast across local radio stations in Yorkshire.
Jim was the project atmospheric scientist for the Black and Bloom project which is a major consortium grant funded by NERC to understand how particles and microorganisms on the surface of the Greenland Icesheet affect its albedo. Black and Bloom has lead to a major EU funded Synergy Programme, Deep Purple and Jim continues to work with this group providing atmospheric inputs into their science.
Jim was the 2018 Distinguished Lecture for the European Association of Geochemistry. This program aims to introduce and motivate scientists and students located in under-represented regions of the world to emerging research areas in geochemistry. The distinguished lecturer is selected each year based on a combination of outstanding research contributions to geochemistry and the ability to clearly communicate these contributions to a broad audience.
More locally, Jim is part of the University’s Living Lab for Air Quality which will improve our knowledge of air quality to help shape and inform the University’s Landscape Strategy and Travel Plan. He is a member of the Leeds City Council Air Quality and Health Board which guides the city’s future strategy to tackle air pollution issues in the city. Jim is part of the NIHR funded BiB Breathes project which is currently using low costs PM2.5 sensors to assess the exposure of primary school children across the implementation of a Clean Air Zone in Bradford. He works extensively with Leeds City Council including a Research England funded programme to deploy a network of low cost PM2.5 sensors across the city.
Research interests
Observations of Atmospheric composition & instrumentation
Low cost sensors
Arctic Albedo
Ice Nucleating Particles
Urban air quality and pollution
Biomass burning
Tropospheric Ozone
Long range transport of pollutants
Impacts of wildfires
Science communication
Jim regularly presents research and science to schools, both primary and secondary on a range of topics including air quality, the truths of climate change, research fieldwork.