Are you are an IAQM Associate or full Member in the first 10 years of your career? Then enter for your chance to win this prestigious title and a ticket to this year’s Routes to Clean Air conference. Good luck!
We are delighted to open entries for the 2025 Ian McCrae Award essay competition to professionals in our Early Careers Network. The IAQM acts as the voice of air quality in the UK, and this competition, judged by industry professionals, supports tomorrow’s leaders in their professional development.
Dr Ian McCrae was a very well-respected and widely liked air quality practitioner who worked for TRL. He made significant contributions to the understanding of emissions from transport and their links with air quality. In his honour, the IAQM will present the Ian McCrae Award to an IAQM Associate or Member in the early stages of their career (approximately the first ten years) for the best essay submission in response to the question below.
Prize
The winner will receive a free two day ticket to this year’s Routes to Clean Air conference (taking place in London on October 20th & 21st), including the dinner, and will be presented with a trophy. The winner will also be featured on a dedicated IAQM and IES news story.
Eligibility
The Ian McCrae Award essay competition is open to all Associate or Full members of the IAQM Early Career Network who are in approximately the first 10 years of their career in air quality.
How to enter
Submit an essay (maximum 650 words) on the following topic:
“Considering the steady improvements in nitrogen dioxide concentrations over the last decade, what do you envision to be the key future challenges in air quality and how can we address them?”
Entries should be submitted via email to Amy Bond by 11.59pm BST on Sunday 7th September 2025.
Judges will be looking for well written and argued submissions; there is no right or wrong answer.
The winner will ideally be available to attend the Routes to Clean Air conference on October 20th & 21st in London. We are keen for the winning entry to be shared with conference attendees, whether through a short (5 minute) presentation, poster or other medium. This will be decided with the winner.
The trophy presentation is currently planned to take place during the IAQM Member Session (6pm on 20th October), so please make us aware on submission of your entry if this time wouldn't be convenient should you be chosen.
Deadline
11.59pm BST on Sunday 7th September 2025.
Any queries on the essay competition should be directed to Amy Bond, communities@the-ies.org. Award winners from 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and their entries, are available to view on the IAQM website.
