A global authority on airborne particles, Distinguished Professor Lidia Morawska has redefined air pollution science. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, she spearheaded efforts to bring evidence of airborne transmission to public health authorities worldwide. Her evidence-based advocacy altered public health interventions and guidelines, saving many lives. She was subsequently one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people for 2021.

Morawska’s groundbreaking interdisciplinary research – particularly on ultrafine particles – has changed our understanding and management of air pollution. She has helped shape World Health Organization Global Air Quality Guidelines, informed the design of healthy buildings, and is influencing ventilation and indoor air quality standards across sectors.

Morawska is the director of the THRIVE Centre for Advanced Building Systems Against Airborne Infection Transmission and has been recognised with several awards, including the L’Óreal-UNESCO for Women in Science International Award 2023.

An unsurpassed global authority on airborne particles, Distinguished Professor Lidia Morawska has redefined the application of air pollution science and translated it into irrefutable evidence and paradigm-shifting advice to government and intergovernmental bodies. Her interdisciplinary approach, combining engineering, environmental science, and public health, exemplifies the innovation and impact that ATSE values. Her work has vastly improved how the world mitigates pollution risks and has transformed public health authorities’ understanding and management of the transmission of respiratory infections. One of Australia’s leading female scientists, she has reinforced Australia’s high standing in the global STEM community and is an inspiration for the next generation of Australian innovators, researchers and students. Her extraordinary dedication and impact have connected fundamental science to real-world policy and practice to provide clean air for all.