Helen ApSimon
{{short description|English climatologist and academic}}
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{{Infobox scientist
| honorific_prefix = Professor
| name = Helen ApSimon
| honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}}
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| birth_name = Helen Mary Hollingsworth
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1942|4|28}}
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| citizenship = United Kingdom
| nationality = English
| fields = Air pollution studies
| workplaces = Imperial College London
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| alma_mater = Somerville College, Oxford
University of St Andrews
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| doctoral_students = Anthony C. Davison
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Helen Mary ApSimon, {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} (born 28 April 1942) is an English air pollution scientist and academic. She is a Professor of Air pollution Studies at Imperial College London. Her research includes the impact of acid rain, nuclear accidents and fine particulates on human health and ecosystems.
Early life and education
Helen Mary Hollingsworth was born on 28 April 1942 in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, England.{{cite book|title=ApSimon, Prof. Helen Mary|website=Who's Who 2018|publisher=Oxford University Press|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.274668|date=1 December 2017|chapter=Apsimon, Prof. Helen Mary, (born 28 April 1942), Professor of Air Pollution Studies, Imperial College London, since 2001}} She was educated at Northampton High School, an all-girls private school in Northampton, Northamptonshire.{{Cite news|url=https://www.gdst.net/article/alumna-year-2017-nominee-profile-helen-apsimon-northampton-high-school|title=Alumna of the Year 2017 nominee profile: Helen ApSimon, Northampton High School|date=12 April 2017|work=Girls' Day School Trust|access-date=2 February 2018}} She went on to study Mathematics at Somerville College, Oxford, graduating MA in 1963.{{Cite news|url=https://issuu.com/somervillecollege/docs/somerville_college_report_2012-13/51|title=College Report 2012-13|work=Issuu|access-date=2 February 2018}} She completed a PhD in astrophysics under Dick Carson at the University of St Andrews in 1966. In 1967, Helen Hollingsworth married Hugh ApSimon. He died in 1998.
Research
ApSimon is a founding member and Chairman of the European Association for the Science of Air Pollution. ApSimon is well known for her research into the transport of radioactivity from the Chernobyl disaster.{{Cite book|title=A to Z of scientists in weather and climate|last=Don.|first=Rittner|date=2003|publisher=Facts On File|isbn=978-1438109244|location=New York|oclc=234234840}}{{Cite journal|last1=Apsimon|first1=Helen M.|last2=Wilson|first2=Julian|date=1 January 1991|title=The application of numerical models to assess dispersion and deposition in the event of a nuclear accident|journal=Journal of Forecasting|volume=10|issue=1–2|pages=91–103|doi=10.1002/for.3980100106|issn=1099-131X}} In the immediate aftermath, Russia issued a media blackout and ApSimon was one of few European scientists to detect rising radiation levels.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03cgc0x|title=The Legacy and Findings of the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster, Global Concerns – BBC World Service|date=25 April 1996 |publisher=BBC|access-date=2 February 2018}} She modelled the nuclear fallout, calculating Chernobyl released 15 – 20 megacuries of Iodine-131 and 1 – 2 megacuries of caesium-137.{{Cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fetjwSi-rwMC&q=apsimon+chernobyl|title=Chernobyl: the grim statistics of cancer|date=14 August 1986|work=New Scientist|access-date=2 February 2018}}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} During the first few weeks after the disaster, ApSimon calculated the radioactive plum covered Scandinavia and the North coast of Europe.{{Cite journal|last=Vandecasteele|first=C.M.|date=October 1996|title=INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: "TEN YEARS AFTER THE CHERNOBYL CATASTROPHE"|url=http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001237/123781eo.pdf|publisher=UNESCO}} She travelled to Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria in 1988.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wcmt.org.uk/fellows/stories/helen-apsimons-story-0|title=Helen Apsimon's Story {{!}} Winston Churchill Memorial Trust|website=www.wcmt.org.uk|access-date=2 February 2018|archive-date=18 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118164729/https://www.wcmt.org.uk/fellows/stories/helen-apsimons-story-0|url-status=dead}}
ApSimon has also worked extensively for Task Forces under the UN ECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, undertaking modelling and assessment of cost-effective strategies to reduce acidification, eutrophication, excess tropospheric ozone and fine particulate concentrations.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/h.apsimon|title=Professor Helen ApSimon|access-date=2 September 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gdst.net/news/alumna-year-2017-nominee-profile-helen-apsimon-northampton-high-school/|title=Alumna of the Year 2017 nominee profile: Helen ApSimon, Northampton High School|date=12 April 2017|website=Girls' Day School Trust|access-date=2 September 2019}}
ApSimon is interested in the impact of urban air pollution on human health and ecosystems.{{Cite book|title=Air pollution modeling and its application XIV|date=2001|publisher=Kluwer Academic|others=Gryning, Sven-Erik., Schiermeier, Francis A., NATO/CCMS International Technical Meeting on Air Pollution Modeling and its Application (24th : 2000 : Boulder, Colo.)|isbn=978-0306474606|location=New York|oclc=559433711}} In 1995, she calculated the cost of building damage due to acidic European atmospheres.{{Cite book|title=Urban pollution and changes to materials and building surfaces|others=Brimblecombe, Peter, 1949–|isbn=978-1783268863|location=London|oclc=947143726|last1 = Brimblecombe|first1 = Peter|author1-link=Peter Brimblecombe|date=23 November 2015}} In 1998, the UK Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions commissioned ApSimon to study investigate the cost-effectiveness of controlling the shipping emissions in the North Sea.{{Cite book|title=Air pollution science for the 21st century|date=2002|publisher=Elsevier|others=Austin, Jill, 1953 March 24-, Brimblecombe, Peter, 1949–, Sturges, W. T.|isbn=978-0080526904|edition= 1st|location=Amsterdam|oclc=162131001}}
Publications
- O'Driscoll R, Stettler MEJ, Molden N., et al., 2017, Real world CO2 and NOx emissions from 149 Euro 5 and 6 diesel, gasoline and hybrid passenger cars., Science of the Total Environment, Vol:621, {{ISSN|0048-9697}}, Pages:282–290
- Aristodemou E., Boganegra L. M., Mottet L., et al., 2017, How tall buildings affect turbulent air flows and dispersion of pollution within a neighbourhood, Environmental Pollution, Vol:233, {{ISSN|0269-7491}}, Pages:782–796
- O'Driscoll R., ApSimon H., Oxley T., et al., 2016, A portable emissions measurement system (PEMS) study of NOx and primary NO2 emissions from Euro 6 diesel passenger cars and comparison with COPERT emission factors, Atmospheric Environment, Vol:145, {{ISSN|1352-2310}}, Pages:81–91
- Dore A., Reis S., Oxley T., et al., 2016, Calculation of Source-Receptor Matrices for Use in an Integrated Assessment Model and Assessment of Impacts on Natural Ecosystems, 34th International Technical Meeting on Air Pollution Modelling and its Application (ITM), SPRINGER-VERLAG BERLIN, Pages:107–112
- Dore A., Reis S., Oxley T., et al., 2016, Calculation of Source-Receptor Matrices for Use in an Integrated Assessment Model and Assessment of Impacts on Natural Ecosystems, 34th International Technical Meeting on Air Pollution Modelling and its Application (ITM), SPRINGER INT PUBLISHING AG, Pages:107–112
Memberships
ApSimon has been a member of several expert groups, including the National Expert Group on Transboundary Air Pollution, and the Air Quality Expert Group of DEFRA.{{Cite web|url=http://equaindex.com/about-us/|title=EQUA Index – Who are we? {{!}} EQUA INDEX {{!}} Independent real world driving data|website=equaindex.com|access-date=2 February 2018|archive-date=3 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203064511/http://equaindex.com/about-us/|url-status=dead}} In 1999, ApSimon was a member of the Royal Society Global Environmental Research Committee.{{Cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/people/helen-apsimon-8684/|title=Helen ApSimon|website=royalsociety.org|access-date=2 February 2018}} In 2004, she contributed to the European Commission National Emission Ceilings Directive Review.{{Cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/environment/archives/cafe/pdf/necd_proposal.pdf|title=National Emission Ceilings Directive Review|year=2014|website=European Commission|access-date=2 February 2018}} ApSimon was invited to chair a new Heathrow air quality expert review group in 2017.{{cite web|last1=Davies|first1=Phil|title=Heathrow staff incentivised to buy low-emission cars|url=http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/282424/heathrow-staff-incentivised-to-buy-low-emission-cars|website=Travel Weekly|accessdate=19 February 2018|date=29 June 2017}}
Honours
In the 2013 Queen's Birthday Honours, Helen ApSimon was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to air pollution science.{{cite news|title=Queen's birthday honours list 2013: GCB, DBE and CBE|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/jun/15/queens-birthday-honours-cbe|accessdate=19 February 2018|work=The Guardian|date=14 June 2013}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.airqualitynews.com/2013/06/17/air-pollution-professor-awarded-cbe/|title=Air pollution professor awarded CBE – Air Quality News|date=17 June 2013|work=Air Quality News|access-date=2 February 2018}}
References
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Category:Academics of Imperial College London
Category:British climatologists
Category:Alumni of Somerville College, Oxford
Category:People educated at Northampton High School, England
Category:Alumni of the University of St Andrews