Collaboration in Action: What to Expect from Air Sensor International Conference (ASIC) 2025 Bangkok

The AirGradient team is excited to be part of the upcoming Air Sensors International Conference (ASIC) and looks forward to meeting you in Bangkok! We will have a booth at the conference and will be giving out free AirGradient monitors to each participant.

For the first time, the Air Sensors International Conference will be held in Southeast Asia. Hosted by the Air Quality Research Center (AQRC) at the University of California, Davis, the event will take place May 19-22 at the Bangkok Marriott Hotel the Surawongse.

ASIC 2025 will bring together global leaders in air quality research, innovation, and policy in Bangkok to address topics including the role low cost air quality sensors can play in reducing air pollution in Southeast Asia and expanding regional initiatives to improve air quality. Bangkok – being one of the only Breathe Cities in Southeast Asia – is a fitting location for this event.

In preparation for ASIC, we wanted to learn more about the conference and its impact, so I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Anthony Stein Wexler, the director of UC Davis’ Air Quality Research Center. During this interview, he shared his insights on what sets this year’s conference apart, how attendees can make the most of it, and the exciting discussions they can look forward to.

For starters, the exhibition space for this year’s conference is going to be bigger, making way for an Air Sensors Expo, where more companies will have the opportunity to exhibit their sensors. Attendees will have the chance to see the latest sensors in the market, learn about the companies behind them, and interact with vendors.

But it’s not just about exhibiting cutting-edge developments in air quality management, a major part of it is providing a platform to people from different sectors – scientists, policymakers, NGOs, and air sensor industry professionals from across the world – to exchange ideas and strategies for supporting local and regional air quality monitoring efforts in Southeast Asia. This will be done in the form of research presentations and interactive sessions.

Given the setting of the conference, the main topics are of course going to be oriented towards the unique air quality challenges that Southeast Asia faces. A defining feature of ASIC is its topic selection process. Rather than having an agenda ahead of time, the topics that are going to be presented aren’t finalized until the organizers get a full understanding of what challenges a certain city, country, or community is facing.

“We don’t presume to know what the issues are in any given situation. Whenever I go to another city or another country and talk about air pollution issues there and how you can solve them, I listen a lot before I talk – because it’s always different. How the government operates, how people perceive air pollution, what the sources of the air pollution are, every place is different.

We always do this – wherever we’re doing [these conferences], we always bring together people who are working on these problems locally and talk to them. What do you guys need? What’re the most useful topics to address at the conference? And so it’s not a top-down, it’s a bottom-up [approach].” – Dr. Anthony Stein Wexler

This approach is especially important in a region like Southeast Asia, where air quality challenges are unique from country to country. By having local voices shape the agenda, they ensure that the discussions are relevant and empowering to local communities.

Another key feature making a return this year is media training for journalists. First introduced at ASIC 2024 in Accra, Ghana, this initiative aims to help journalists gain a better understanding of how to interpret and communicate air pollution science.

“The other thing that we did for the first time in Accra, which we’re going to do again in Bangkok, is have media training. When we did that in Accra, it was very successful. Tons of reporters came from different countries to learn about how to talk about air pollution. Where does it come from? Where does it go? What are the health effects? It’s super important for local media – whether they’re TV, print, or online – to understand this.”

In many regions, coverage on air pollution can be vague. This media training aims to address that gap, ensuring that topics regarding air quality are covered in a way that is both accurate and accessible.

While media training plays a big role in bringing air quality discussions to a wider audience, the real momentum for change doesn’t just come from media coverage – it also comes from the conversations that take place after the conference. Conferences are usually seen as a one time event, but for ASIC, the talks and discussions leave a lasting impact.

A good example of this came from last year’s ASIC in Accra, Ghana, where attendees were able to overcome a major logistical challenge related to the distribution of air sensors in Africa. Shipping and customs restrictions can be a real problem in the region, so attendees came together to take matters into their own hands, carrying sensors across borders in their luggage to help get them distributed.

“We’re getting to the end of the conference, and we’re all discussing what we can do after the conference to keep going. One of the things that came up was the transportation of the [air quality] instruments to Africa. And so there’s a whole Whatsapp discussion where people say, ‘I’m coming to Africa, if you want me to bring stuff, send it to me and I’ll put it in my suitcase and take it there.’ Those things just keep going.”

This kind of attendee-driven collaboration is what makes the conference stand out – the impact doesn’t end when the conference does, it continues through relationships and partnerships that emerge along the way.

This makes it especially exciting for first time attendees. Unlike traditional conferences where newcomers may feel like passive observers, ASIC encourages first-time attendees to be active participants, whether through simple discussions, networking, or asking questions.

“Talk to people, meet people, and develop a larger community. Use the conference as a way of networking with other people who have the same interests as you do in your country or city, and outside too because everyone can learn from each other.”

ASIC is a great opportunity to witness firsthand how collaboration extends far beyond the confines of a conference room. The conversations and connections made here continue to drive action and innovation long after. Whether you’re an expert in the field or just starting out, ASIC 2025 invites you to be part of the dialogue shaping the future of air quality monitoring.

For more information about the conference, including registration details, visit the 2025 ASIC Southeast Asia website here.