Gorjan Jovanovski
Gorjan Jovanovski is a Macedonian eco-activist, entrepreneur and software engineer, working on raising awareness about air pollution through technology. In 2014, he created the AirCare mobile app, which uses open data to visualize air pollution, and its launch triggered nationwide protests in North Macedonia and Serbia[1] by citizens demanding that local governments take more serious action against the issue.
Gorjan Jovanovski | |
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Gorjan giving a talk at a conference, 2018 | |
Born | |
Nationality | Macedonian |
Education | Master of Software Engineering, University of Amsterdam |
Occupation |
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Known for | Activism, AirCare |
Awards | European Young Innovator 2020 |
Website | www |
AirCare
AirCare, initially known as MojVozduh, is a mobile app that uses open data from government and volunteer air quality sensors to map and visualize pollution in the Balkans. Launched in December 2014, it currently has over 200,000 downloads,[2] and is used a daily basis during high pollution months in the balkans. AirCare accumulates data from government, volunteer and satellite measuring stations from the European Space Agency, aggregating them for easier consumption by end users. Pollutants include Particulate matter, Nitrogen dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Sulfur Dioxide and Ozone.
Making the data available to the masses, has led to multiple nationwide protests in North Macedonia[3] and Serbia,[4] and a response from the North Macedonian government titled "Plan for Clean Air".[5] AirCare and Gorjan's work has been covered by Forbes,[6] The Guardian,[7] NASA,[8] and the UN.[9]
In 2020, Gorjan was awarded European Young Innovator by the UN founded World Summit Awards, for his work on raising air pollution awareness through AirCare.[10]
2018 TEDx talk
Jovanovski has given talks at multiple conferences on the topics of mobile apps and using technology for ecology activism. In 2018 he gave a TED talk at TEDx SittardGeleen titled "Data: the pathway to a better world". YouTube. TEDx Talks., about the founding of AirCare and the impact it had on public awareness about high pollution levels in North Macedonia.[11]
See also
References
- Selmani, Adrijana. "The Air Pollution in Macedonia Is Bringing People Into the Streets, And There's an App for That". Global Voices. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
- "AirCare - Apps on Google Play". Google Play.
- "Битолчани излегоа на протест за чист воздух". Radio MOF. Radio MOF. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
- "Protest za čist vazduh u Beogradu". Radio Slobodna Evropa. Radio Free Europe. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- "Владата направи план за чист воздух: Нема веќе греење на јаглен или нафта". Pulseinfo.mk. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
- Banovic, Rebecca. "Meet The Macedonian Software Engineer Fighting Air Pollution With An App". Green Tech. Forbes. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- Maassen, Paul. "Six ways for citizens to assert power beyond the ballot box". Public Leaders Network. The Guardian. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
- Scott, Matt. "Improving Lives & Air Quality through Open Data Innovation". openNASA. NASA. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
- "The most polluted capital in Europe, you didn't even know about". UN Environment. United Nations. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
- "AirCare WSA". WSA.
- "TEDx SittardGeleen". TED.