SACRAMENTO - California Air Resources Board this week is set to honor winners of the 2014 Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards, California's premier award recognizing individuals who have made outstanding contributions to improving air quality. Events are planned for Wednesday and Thursday at the California Environmental Protection Agency headquarters building, 1001 I St., Sacramento.

Learn about real-world air pollution problems and innovative solutions from three individuals who will be bestowed with California's premier air quality award during three abbreviated talks on Wednesday. An award ceremony is planned for Thursday.

Event Details:

Clean Air Leadership Talks featuring a 20-minute talk by each of the three 2014 Haagen-Smit Award recipients. Talk subjects include:

• Cooking, Health & Climate: The Surprisingly Large Impacts of Humanity's Oldest Daily Task (Donald Blake, professor of chemistry, University of California Irvine)


• Household Air Pollution & Impacts on Women and Children (Kirk R. Smith, professor of global environmental health, University of California Berkeley)


• Advances in Diesel Technologies & Worldwide Implementation (John Wall, vice president and chief technical officer for Cummins Inc.)

When: 2:30 to 4 PM, Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Where: Cal/EPA headquarters, Coastal Hearing Room, 1001 I St. (10th & I), Sacramento, CA

Haagen-Smit Awards Ceremony at the regular meeting of the California Air Resources Board

When: Estimated to begin at 10:30 AM, Thursday, June 25, 2015 (depending on Board agenda). Where: Cal/EPA headquarters, Byron Sher Auditorium, 1001 I St. (10th & I), Sacramento

Who: Chairman Mary D. Nichols will host the awards ceremony honoring three 2014 award recipients: Donald Blake, professor of chemistry, University of California Irvine; Kirk R. Smith, professor of global environmental health, University of California Berkeley; and John Wall, vice president and chief technical officer for Cummins Inc.

VISUALS: Awards will be presented Thursday during the regulation Air Resources Board meeting. Photos and video will be available after the award ceremony.

About the Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards: The prestigious Haagen-Smit awards are given annually to those who have made outstanding contributions in the fields of clean air, climate change, technology and related policies. Considered to be California's premiere air quality award, it is named for the late Dr. Arie Haagen-Smit, known as the "father" of air pollution science and control. The award recognizes those who have followed in his footsteps to advance efforts toward clean air goals.

Background: The Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards have been presented since 2001. Winners have ranged from research scientists to educators to public agency administrators. Awardees are selected by a committee of former winners. For a list of all past award winners, please visit: https://www.arb.ca.gov/research/hsawards/winners/winners.htm