The journey to CLAIR

My path to CLAIR grew directly from my PhD research at Carnegie Mellon University, which explores how communities in the Niger Delta can reclaim agency in the face of systemic pollution and environmental neglect. I designed and validated low-cost air quality sensors to fill gaps in data where official monitoring is absent, creating tools that communities could use to make the invisible visible. Alongside these devices, I co-developed a workbook toolkit that helped residents not only log pollution data but also reflect on their lived experiences, blending scientific measurement with cultural knowledge and storytelling. This work culminated in a VR exhibition co-created with Human-Computer Interaction students, making abstract data tangible and emotionally resonant. Together, these projects showed me that technology must be accessible, sustainable, and rooted in justice to create lasting impact. CLAIR was born out of this realisation: if communities can use tools to see and tell their air pollution stories, then they also deserve solutions that clean that air in the first place.

— Waku Ken-Opurum