The Indonesia project under the AQ Fellowship includes air quality monitoring, data management, and forecasting. Ms. Josephine Lee has been matched with the Indonesia Bureau of Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics (BMKG) project team led by Mr. Rahmattulloh Adji, Head of Air Quality Information Division, and Mr. Suradi, Head of Air Pollution Information. Currently, various agencies in Indonesia have air quality monitoring systems and networks in place and are collecting ambient PM concentration data. BMKG has an obligation to establish an air quality observation network mapping for all of Indonesia. Currently, monitoring is conducted for PM10, PM2.5, and SPM. Indonesia BMKG would like to standardize and compile the air quality monitoring data from multiple monitoring locations and agencies into one monitoring data set (i.e., quality assurance and quality control of air quality data, with an expected secondary goal to produce a forecast air quality model). The Air Quality Fellows project is focused on PM concentration monitoring systems in Jakarta and Palembang.
The Fellowship kick-off meeting was held in November 2019. Ms. Lee has regular technical discussions and training events to support the Indonesia BMKG project team. She plans to travel to Indonesia in 2020 for in-country collaboration meetings. The Fellowship period will continue from November 2019 and into 2021.
High Level Goal 1:
Air quality monitoring and QA/QC. This goal involves improving data quality/management and establishing a robust quality assurance and control (QA/QC) program.
High Level Goal 2:
Development of a scientifically based method to aggregate, analyze, and interpret air quality data and perform air quality modeling as well as forecasting for policy recommendations.
Indonesia BMKG’s intent is to include stakeholders from government, civil society, and relevant private experts in air quality monitoring in Indonesia. Other Indonesia groups that participate in the air quality project, in addition to the lead agency Indonesia BMKG, include Ministry of Environment and Forestry, University of Indonesia (Environmental Engineering), Institut Technology Bandung (ITB), the local Government of Jakarta Province (DKI Jakarta), and Vital Strategies. (Vital Strategies will coordinate with the Air Quality Management Action Plan.)
The main discussions for the Fellow and Indonesia BMKG are focused on identifying and sharing monitoring data from monitoring stations in Indonesia. The current focus is on data collection for 5 monitors in Jakarta City, from monitors in Palembang, from the Environment Agency, and from the Embassy Jakarta monitoring data. The monitoring equipment includes MetOne BAM-1020s, Thermo-Fischer Scientific 5014is, and a variety of low-cost sensor units. For each monitoring station in Jakarta, BMKG is sharing make and model information, including photographs of the ambient monitoring equipment, a map of the monitoring stations, installation date, pollutants measured, current standard operating procedures and maintenance schedules, calibration information, meteorological data, and the available monitoring data sets. BMKG is also sharing information from agencies external to BMKG. The team has begun conversations and training on the maintenance and operation of the monitoring network equipment.
(DKI Jakarta, a stakeholder participant with the project, also has four goals for their monitoring equipment that align with the BMKG project goals. These goals include: (1) Verify what they have done regarding air quality standards; (2) Provide calibration training/verification; (3) Review and validate low cost sensors that are in place; and (4) review the air quality monitoring network to determine whether any additional stations are needed and for what parameters.)
2020 / 2021 Technical Training Sessions
Ms. Lee is a Principal Technologist at Jacobs Engineering. In addition to being an Air Quality Fellows with the U.S. Department of State under this program, she is also an expert in environmental sampling procedures and analytical requirements for air, water, and soil. Her experience relates to air quality monitoring networks and the development of methods and procedures for criteria pollutants, as well as specialized air monitoring programs. She supports capacity building in other countries including Suriname and Brazil, and also in U.S. territory Puerto Rico. Ms. Lee has a BS in Chemistry.
Mr. Rahmattulloh Adji is Head of the Air Quality Information Division, in the Bureau of Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics (BMKG), and Mr. Suradi is Head of Air Pollution Information.
Indonesia BMKG project team members check and maintain ambient air monitoring and recording equipment in Jakarta.
Indonesia BMKG project team members check and maintain ambient air monitoring and recording equipment in Jakarta.