Atmospheric pollution is one of the major environmental challenges in Mexico and currently there is a shortage of professionals with knowledge in air quality modeling. The objective of this project is to contribute to the training of young researchers, university students and government technical personnel interested in air pollution, by providing them with the most advanced tools in air quality modeling and their applications, evaluation of strategies to control emissions and impacts on human health and the environment. Air quality models play an important role in atmospheric science due to their ability to assess the relative importance of the main physical and chemical processes that control air pollution. The models are also useful for quantifying the relationship between emissions, depositions (wet and dry), meteorology and concentrations, as well as for past and future scenarios, and the effectiveness of emission mitigation strategies. This makes the modeling of air quality an indispensable research tool in the design and evaluation of public policies based on emission control strategies. This in turn allows obtaining cost/benefit estimates of public policies and helping in the prioritization of their implementation. However, to connect all these parts in a highly reliable operating system, it is important to have highly trained and specialized personnel. Currently, there is a shortage of technical capacity in the academic and government sectors in Mexico for the development and application of modeling tools for the design and evaluation of air quality control strategies. There is also a strong need to increase the collaboration between these sectors and international experts to develop integrated research programs on the impacts of air pollution on human health, ecosystems and climate.

In this project, the researchers at the LTM Center for Energy and the Environment (LTMCE2) in Mexico and UC San Diego propose to develop and implement a symposium and a workshop in Mexico for intensive training in the modeling of air pollution and the evaluation of air quality control strategies using the regional air quality model Weather Research and Forecasting coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem). In addition to the co-principal investigators, US and Mexican experts in science and policy of air pollution will be invited as symposium speakers and training workshop instructors. The proposed workshop is directed to UC students and Mexican participants from academic/research institutions and government agencies. The results of this

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workshop will increase the technical capabilities in Mexico for the use of modeling tools in assessing pollution control strategies and the impacts of air pollution sources, as well as provide opportunities for UC students to collaborate with Mexican students, scientists and policy makers.

With the participation of researchers from UC San Diego, LTM Center, and other US and Mexican institutions, the symposium and workshop will serve as catalyst for developing basic and applied collaborative research, capacity building, and development of projects that apply research for air quality control. Furthermore, the workshop is expected to provide a platform for the subsequent projects for the development of modeling capabilities in air quality forecasting and evaluation of impacts on human health, ecosystems and climate. The interaction of Mexican and UC students will foster future research collaborations in air quality control. The project will also help to establish future collaborative initiatives between government agencies and academic/research institutions in developing research activities on air quality with the support of other institutional and extramural funds. In direct alignment with UC MEXUS-CONACYT program goals and objectives, the workshop will allow addressing the critical need of capacity building on air quality modeling in Mexico through the innovative and advanced training courses for public service technical officials, researchers, and student participants.