INTERVIEW | PROFESSOR CATHERINE NOAKES AIR OF AUTHORITY Professor Catherine Noakes knowledge of ventilation and infection transmission has made her one of the governments key scientific advisers on Covid-19. In recognition of her work, she was made an OBE last month. Alex Smith talks to her about the challenge of winter and the impact of infection control going mainstream P rofessor Catherine Noakes has been an expert in airborne infection transmission for 18 years, but it was only when the Covid-19 pandemic took hold in spring that people really took notice. It was seen as a curiosity, says Noakes, professor of environmental engineering for buildings at the University of Leeds. They didnt see it being important, as they didnt see transmission happening. It suddenly matters now. Noakes knowledge of ventilation and its impact on air quality has put her at the forefront of the UKs struggle to minimise the spread of Covid-19. Her contribution was recognised last month when she was made an OBE for services to the Covid-19 response. She sits on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), advising the government on its response to the pandemic. She also convened and chairs the Environment and Modelling Group (EMG), a cross-disciplinary sub-group of engineers, architects, clinicians, modellers, microbiologists, behavioural scientists and public health specialists. It provides advice to the government on the physics of Covid-19 spread and the risks of exposure in buildings, and puts forward mitigation strategies to keep people safe. Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK governments chief scientific adviser, said that, under Noakes leadership, the EMG work has had widespread and significant impact, not just on the governments response to Covid-19 where it has informed policy across a range of departments but also on public advice that is supporting the safe reopening of businesses and public services. Noakes also supported CIBSE in producing guidance on ventilation for Covid-19 (see page 26 for the latest update) and she has contributed to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on ventilation for control of the virus. She was one of 36 experts in airborne infection who called on the WHO to accept that Covid-19 could be transmitted through aerosol routes. Her work has also been recognised by The Presidents Special Award for Pandemic Service by the Royal Academy of Engineering. At Leeds University Noakes has helped devise a strategy for keeping staff and students safe during the pandemic. This involves keeping well ventilated and keeping interactions to as small a social circle as possible. If you do interact, interact outside, she advises. Active on Twitter, Noakes (@cathnoakes) takes time to answer questions from the public, and offer the latest advice and research on Covid-19 as well as humorous snapshots of everyday life in Yorkshire. Noakes says she never over-simplifies the science, even with politicians who want yes or no answers. We wrestled with this for quite some time, but we cant 28 November 2020 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE Nov 2020 pp28-29 Cath Noakes.indd 28 23/10/2020 15:47