Recent News

Vanessa Nguyen was named the winner of the 2026 Ian McCrae Award at the Routes to Clean Air conference on the 21st October.

This annual award takes the form of an essay competition that is open to early careers members of the IAQM. It is presented in honour of the late Dr Ian McCrae who made significant contributions to the understanding of emissions from transport and their links with air quality.

This year, entrants were asked to submit an essay on the following topic:

“The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) launched a new inquiry into air pollution in 2026. The inquiry aims to investigate the ongoing public health risks and environmental consequences of air pollution in the UK. Prepare a written submission acting as though you were providing evidence to the inquiry by answering: What evidence exists of the extent of air pollution directly or indirectly impacting human health in the UK, are there differential impacts (geographically, and across socioeconomic groups), and are current regulatory mechanisms suitable to address this?”

Vanessa Nguyen, Consultant – Environment at Tyréns Hilson Moran, produced a fantastic essay to come out on top against an extremely high standard of entry.

Vanessa’s winning essay was praised as emotive and compelling by the judges, and demonstrated a strong understanding of the ongoing public health risks and environmental consequences of air pollution in the UK.

You can read Vanessa’s essay here (pdf).

Thank you to everyone who submitted an essay, and please do keep an eye out for next year’s topic for another chance to win this prestigious title.

The IAQM Early Careers Network (ECN) is a community of air quality professionals in the early stages of their careers. The network exists to develop members’ knowledge and skills in a supportive and accessible environment. You can find out more about the Early Careers Network and its Subcommittee on our dedicated webpage.