Community Resilience to Climate Stressors
Holly Fizer
Undergraduate Researcher
Environmental Science Major (O'Neill School of Public & Environmental Affairs)
Ireland Skipper
Undergraduate Researcher
Environmental and Sustainability Studies Major (O'Neill School of Public & Environmental Affairs)
Diane Henshel
Faculty Mentor
Diane Henshel (O'Neill School of Public & Environmental Affairs)
Project Description
There are two parts to this project. We are looking for one student for each part. The first part, the first step, is to sort out which communities in the Great Lakes have the greatest vulnerability to climate change stressors such as flooding (due to storms, sea level rise and dam breakage), excess heat, and wind-related storm damage. This is a GIS-based project, and the student will help in analyzing the data generated by graduate students, looking at the different types of communities, and the types of residents in different communities. There are possibilities of looking at health as a confounding variable. The second part of the project is a survey going out to community members across the Great Lakes. The survey assesses vulnerability factors linked to critical infrastructure. After the survey data is obtained, we will need to evaluate the data, and develop a framework for focus groups for a subset of the surveyed communities. The second student will help with the survey data analysis and review, help graph up the results, and help develop the framework and questions for the focus groups. Both students will help with the focus groups (taking notes, reviewing the recommendations, helping development guidance from the recommendations).
Technology or Computational Component
Sub-project 1 - Analysis of GIS and statistical data, graphing and other kinds of visualization in Excel. Potential for use of other visualization tools, depending on the data. Writing up a formal analysis for a separate piece of the report. Sub-project 2 - Analysis of data in Qualtrics, including cross-tablulation tables. Also possible to pull the data into Excel and (potentially with guidance), develop additional analysis of data breakouts using Excel formulas. Visualization, graphing using Excel. Potential for use of other visualization tools, depending on the data. Writing up a formal analysis for a separate piece of the report. Both projects - supporting virtual (ie Zoom) focus groups, helping analyze the data, and recommendations that come from the focus groups. Helping write up and lay out the report on the focus groups, which could involve either high level Word or Adobe Illustrator or other formal layout program.