In 2013, Thomas Talhelm was living in Beijing doing research on a Fulbright scholarship in cultural psychology when the “airpocalypse” hit. He wanted to protect himself from the thick air pollution, but outfitting his home with commercial air purifiers would cost $1,000. He wondered: does clean air need to be that expensive? In his talk, Thomas explains how air purifiers work and how his Social Enterprise Smart Air has delivered affordable clean air to over 20,000 people all over China.
Featuring: Thomas Talhelm, Assistant Professor in Behavioural Science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Thomas Talhelm is an Assistant Professor in Behavioural Science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He built his first DIY purifier while living in Beijing and doing PhD research as a Fulbright scholar. When not helping people breathe clean air, he studies how rice and wheat have shaped cultural differences in China and India.