About
Dr Jonny Higham is a Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Processes and Dynamics in the Department of Geography and Planning at the University of Liverpool, where he has built a rapidly expanding research, innovation and impact profile at the interface of environmental fluid mechanics, air quality science, sensor technologies, image based measurement, modal decomposition and real world environmental monitoring. His work connects fundamental physical science with applied environmental intelligence, using advanced measurement and data analysis to make complex environmental processes visible, understandable and useful for public health, policy, industry and communities.
Since joining Liverpool in 2018, Jonny has established and led a major programme of work in urban air quality, exposure science and environmental sensing. He is the founder and Director of the Liverpool Air Quality Research Centre, LARClarc.liverpool.ac.uk, a University of Liverpool hub for research, training and digital tools addressing urban and port-related air pollution across the Liverpool City Region. LARC builds on Liverpool’s city scale air quality monitoring capability, including fixed sensor networks, wearable exposure devices, calibration, quality assurance, secure data systems, public dashboards and policy-facing analysis. A major strength of Jonny’s work is that he has built new capability from the ground up. Through LARC and Liverpool Sensors, he has developed an end-to-end environmental monitoring ecosystem spanning sensor design, laboratory calibration, field deployment, maintenance, live data infrastructure, visualisation and interpretation. This capability supports local authorities, NHS and health partners, schools, airport and transport monitoring, community organisations, commercial partners and international collaborators, positioning Liverpool as a leading centre for applied air quality monitoring and sensor-led environmental decision support.
Jonny’s work also connects strongly with Liverpool’s wider enterprise and leadership agenda. He is involved with the Liverpool Enterprise and Leadership Academy, LELAlela.liverpool.ac.uk, which supports ambitious Science and Engineering students to develop leadership, innovation, enterprise and commercialisation skills through challenge-led learning, mentorship and engagement with external partners. This reflects a wider theme in Jonny’s academic work: building platforms that do not simply generate research outputs, but create capability, train people, support enterprise and translate university expertise into real world value. His research is strongly impact driven and externally connected. Jonny works closely with Liverpool City Council, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, NHS partners, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, schools, community organisations, industry and international collaborators. He also chairs the Liverpool Air Quality Roundtable, bringing together local authorities, health organisations, researchers, charities, policymakers and industry partners to support joined up action on air quality across the region.
Internationally, Jonny contributes to air quality and environmental monitoring work through Clean Air Africa and related collaborations, including sensor network deployments in Kenya and partnerships with public health and research organisations. His teaching is closely integrated with his research, using live sensor networks, real environmental datasets, policy questions and applied technical challenges to train students in urban air pollution, climatology, environmental monitoring and data driven environmental analysis. Across his career, Jonny has developed a profile that combines scientific originality, infrastructure leadership, enterprise, external partnership, commercial translation and policy relevance. His work spans experimental mechanics, flow analysis, image based measurement, modal decomposition, air quality monitoring, sensor development, public health and urban environmental policy. Increasingly, his contribution lies not only in producing research outputs, but in building the platforms, partnerships and evidence systems through which environmental science can directly shape decisions.