How Does Infrastructure Shape Equity and Well-being across the Urban-Rural Gradient?
This National Science Foundation sponsored workshop will generate critical transdisciplinary research questions on Sustainable Urban Systems through panels and facilitated discussions. The workshop aims to bring together voices from community organizations, non-profits, industry, the academy, and the government to develop a research agenda about “How Does Infrastructure Shape Equity and Well-being across the Urban-Rural Gradient?” The goal is to generate a research agenda based on finding real world solutions to pressing sustainability challenges.
This workshop is supported by the National Science Foundation under
Grant No. (1929834).
| Time | Activities |
| September 11 | Day 1: Identify the gaps and challenges in the study of equity and well-being in Sustainable Urban Systems, with a focus on infrastructure systems along the urban-rural gradient |
| 8:00-8:45am | Registration and breakfast |
| 8:45am-9:15am | Opening Remarks Michele Masucci, Vice President for Research, Temple University Melissa Gilbert, Director, Center for Sustainable Communities, Temple University Kay Wood, Producer and Host of Planet Philadelphia |
| 9:15-11:00 am | Setting the Framework: How infrastructure shapes equity along the urban-rural gradient. Moderator: Victor Gutierrez, Assistant Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University Eduardo Brondízio, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology and Director, Center for the Analysis of Social-Ecological Landscapes (CASEL), Indiana University Bloomington Simi Hoque, Associate Professor of Engineering, Drexel University Eugenia South, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Hallie Eakin, Professor and Senior Sustainability Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University Lara Roman, Research Ecologist, Philadelphia Field Station – Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service Catherine Brinkley, Assistant Professor, Community and Regional Development, UC Davis |
| 11:00-11:15am | Break |
| 11:15am-12:30pm | Case studies: How infrastructure shapes equity along the urban-rural gradient. Moderator: Hamil Pearsall, Associate Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University Christine Knapp, Director of the Office of Sustainability, City of Philadelphia Laura Toran, Professor of Earth and Environmental Science, Temple University Jerome Shabazz, Executive Director, Overbrook Environmental Education Center Nagiarry Porcena-Meneus, Community Organizer, Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, Inc Russ Zerbo, Advocate at Clean Air Council Erik Johanson, Director of Innovation, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority Brett Fusco, Manager, Office of Long-range Planning, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission |
| 12:30-1:45 pm | Lunch Welcome: Richard Deeg, Dean, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University Introduction: Sandra Suarez, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Research, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University Keynote: Leslie Richards, Secretary of Transportation, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation |
| 1:45-2:15pm | Synthesis of morning sessions on conceptualizations and case studies Facilitators: Bill Solecki, Professor of Geography at Hunter College and Founder Director, Emeritus, CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities Rachel Valletta, Environmental Scientist, Franklin Institute, Director of the Climate and Urban Systems Partnership Tina Rosan, Associate Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University |
| 2:15-3:30pm | Break-out group discussions to identify frameworks, concepts, gaps/challenges in knowledge, data, and methods Chair: Hamil Pearsall, Associate Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University Facilitators: Infrastructure: Simi Hoque, Associate Professor of Engineering, Drexel University Equity: Tina Rosan, Associate Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University Health and Well-Being: Jeremy Mennis, Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University Co-Production of Knowledge: Bill Solecki, Professor of Geography and Environmental Science, Hunter College and Rachel Valletta, Environmental Scientist, Franklin Institute, Director of the Climate and Urban Systems Partnership Urban-Rural Gradient: Eduardo Brondízio, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Indiana University |
| 3:30-3:45pm | Break |
| 3:45-5:00pm | Plenary discussion of break-out group session on frameworks, concepts, gaps/challenges in knowledge, data, and methods Chair: Hamil Pearsall, Associate Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University |
| 5:00-7:00pm | Reception |
| September 12 | Day 2: Define research questions, methods, and objectives to address the gaps and challenges identified in Day 1 and their scalability |
| 8-8:45 am | Breakfast |
| 8:45-9:00 am | Review of key gaps and challenges from first day’s activities Facilitators: Victor Gutierrez, Assistant Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University Hamil Pearsall, Associate Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University |
| 9:00-10:15 am | Panel Discussion: Conceptual and methodological opportunities for data production in transdisciplinary Sustainable Urban Systems Moderator: Victor Gutierrez, Assistant Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University Robert Cheetham, President and CEO, Azavea Jennifer Baka, Assistant Professor of Geography, Penn State University Alan Wiig, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and Community Development, University of Massachusetts Rachel Valletta, Environmental Scientist, Franklin Institute, Director of the Climate and Urban Systems Partnership Emily Grubert, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech Akira Rodriguez, Joint Lecturer, University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design || School of Social Policy and Practice Michelle Kondo, Research Social Scientist, USDA- Forest Service, Philadelphia Field Station Rhiannon Jerch, Assistant Professor of Economics, Temple University |
| 10:15-10:30 am | Break |
| 10:30-11:15 am | Summary of panel and plenary discussion connecting gaps and opportunities for Sustainable Urban Systems Facilitators: Victor Gutierrez, Assistant Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University Hamil Pearsall, Associate Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University |
| 11:15-12:00pm | Break out group discussions to brainstorm research questions Chair: Melissa Gilbert, Director, Center for Sustainable Communities, Temple University |
| 12:00-12:30pm | Brief presentations of research questions Chair: Hamil Pearsall, Associate Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University |
| 12:30-1:30 pm | Lunch |
| 1:30pm-2:00 pm | Plenary exercise prioritizing research questions in terms of relevance and feasibility Chair: Victor Gutierrez, Assistant Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University |
| 2:00pm-3:15pm | Break-out group discussions to elaborate on research questions in terms of conceptual frameworks, data availability, methodological approaches, and potential applications Chair: Melissa Gilbert, Director, Center for Sustainable Communities, Temple University Facilitators: Jocelyn Behm, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Temple University Victor Gutierrez, Assistant Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University Simi Hoque, Associate Professor of Engineering, Drexel University Hamil Pearsall, Associate Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University Tina Rosan, Associate Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University |
| 3:15-3:30pm | Break |
| 3:30-4:00 pm | Presentation of future projects to the plenary Chair: Victor Gutierrez, Assistant Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University |
| 4:00-5:00pm | Panel Discussion: Synthesis and scalability to other regions in the US and beyond Moderator: Hamil Pearsall, Associate Professor of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University Usama Bilal, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University Eduardo Brondízio, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Indiana University Hallie Eakin, Professor & Senior Sustainability Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University Peleg Kramer, Assistant Professor of Geography and Environment, Villanova University Joe Pierce, Assistant Professor of Geography and Environmental Sustainability; Regional and City Planning, University of Oklahoma Bill Solecki, Professor of Geography and Environmental Science, Hunter College Mark Stone, Associate Professor of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, University of New Mexico Clare Hinrichs, Professor of Rural Sociology, Penn State University |
| 5:00-5:15pm | Closing Remarks Melissa Gilbert, Director, Center for Sustainable Communities, Temple University |
| 5:15-7:00pm | Reception |
| September 13 | Day 3: Discuss the dissemination of workshop and next steps (Organizing Committee and Interested Others) |
| 8-8:45am | Breakfast |
| 8:45-10:15am | Reflections on the workshop |
| 10:15-10:30am | Break |
| 10:30-11:45am | Small group planning sessions for deliverables Rachel Valleta, Environmental Scientist, Franklin Institute, Director of the Climate and Urban Systems Partnership, will lead the group in the discussion of approaches for presenting the final report to a public audience Kay Wood, Producer and Host of Planet Philadelphia, will lead the group on the development of the podcast Brett Fusco, Manager, Office of Long-Range Planning, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, will lead the group in a discussion of approaches for presenting the report to a policy-maker and practitioner audience Eduardo Brondízio and Bill Solecki, editors with Current Opinions in Environmental Sustainability will provide guidance on the process for developing manuscripts for the special issue, including a discussion of the appropriate scope, length, and audience for prospective articles Melissa Gilbert, Director, Center for Sustainable Communities, Temple University and Laura Toran, Professor of Earth and Environmental Science, Temple University will lead the discussion of the final report |
| 11:45am-12:15pm | Moderators report back to the group |
| 12:15-12:30pm | Closing remarks Melissa Gilbert, Director, Center for Sustainable Communities, Temple University |
| 12:30-1:30pm | Lunch |