Mission Statement

At AirGuardian, we work alongside our partners to provide information and tools to address air quality issues, especially for those who need the most resources.

Our Team

Michelle Mendoza

Program Director

Michelle Mendoza leads AirGuardian’s air quality projects and initiatives. She studied public health and environmental science at UC Berkeley, and is currently based in Sacramento, CA.

Sydney Benjamin

Outreach Coordinator

Sydney Benjamin coordinates a variety of outreach and education efforts for AirGuardian. She studied geography and communications at UCLA and received her master’s degree from University of Cambridge in Anthropocene Studies. She is currently based in San Diego, CA.

Frank Ling

Air Quality Scientist

Frank Hiroshi Ling is the Chief Scientist at the Anthropocene Institute, and consults on the AirGuardian program. Dr. Ling received his PhD in Chemistry at UC Berkeley and MS at UC Santa Barbara.

Ajith Kaduwela

Air Quality Scientist

Ajith Kaduwela is an air-quality scientist working with AirGuardian. He is also a Professional Research Scientist at the Air Quality Research Center of the University of California at Davis working on Wildfires. He is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Richard Lee

Medical Science Consultant

Richard brings clinical experience from the ER department and passion for med-tech to the team. He currently advises on clinical medicine related topics at the Anthropocene Institute.

Rieko Yajima

Biomedical Advisor

Rieko Yajima’s interests lie at the intersection of science, policy, and design. She has a Ph.D. in chemical biology and currently focuses her efforts on human-centered drug discovery and translational research. Previously, she was a Research Scholar at the Center for Design Research at Stanford University and an Associate Program Director with AAAS in Washington, D.C.

Hector Carvajal

Social Media Intern

Hector Carvajal supports AirGuardian’s social media on various platforms. He is a prospective transfer student studying data science, and is currently based in Stockton, CA.