Ongoing Projects

Listed below are our current projects.

Air Pollution

This project focuses on air pollution issues that affect Chicago residents and natural spaces. What are the main causes of air pollution in the city, and how does air pollution affect various groups of city residents? What are the current methods being used to address the problem, through the legal system and through the community? What does the city need to focus on to create a cleaner future for its residents?

Past Projects

Listed below are our past projects.

Water Quality

This project focuses on water contamination issues that affect Chicago residents and natural spaces. Why does Chicago have the most lead pipes of any city in the US, and how are social groups and civic bodies addressing this challenge? What are the implications of Chicago’s water infrastructure for health and agriculture?

Green Space Distribution

This project focuses specifically on trying to quantify the connection between green space, access to green space, and environmental justice issues in Chicago. Previous research has shown that such heterogeneous distributions of space uphold environmental racism. Can we find a causal link in Chicago? Is green space really that important? What are possible solutions to the lack of equitable green space distribution in Chicago?

COVID-19 and Air Pollution in Chicago

This project is working at the intersection of air quality, transportation, and COVID-19 in the City of Chicago. The change in behavior from the pandemic has created a unique public transportation dataset, representing only the essential trips people have to make. Insights from this data will be used to recommend public transportation upgrades and highlight the air quality benefits this new infrastructure would bring.