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Vance-Chalcraft HD, Smith KC, Allen J, Bowser G, Cooper CB, Jelks NO, Karl C, Kodner R, Laslo M. Social Justice, Community Engagement, and Undergraduate STEM Education: Participatory Science as a Teaching Tool. CBE Life Sci Educ 2024; 23:es3. [PMID: 38728230 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.23-06-0123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Social justice is increasingly being seen as relevant to the science curriculum. We examine the intersection of participatory science, social justice, and higher education in the United States to investigate how instructors can teach about social justice and enhance collaborations to work toward enacting social justice. Participatory science approaches, like those that collect data over large geographic areas, can be particularly useful for teaching students about social justice. Conversely, local-scale approaches that integrate students into community efforts can create powerful collaborations to help facilitate social justice. We suggest a variety of large-scale databases, platforms, and portals that could be used as starting points to address a set of learning objectives about social justice. We also describe local-scale participatory science approaches with a social justice focus, developed through academic and community partnerships. Considerations for implementing participatory science with undergraduates are discussed, including cautions about the necessary time investment, cultural competence, and institutional support. These approaches are not always appropriate but can provide compelling learning experiences in the correct circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kalynda Chivon Smith
- Department of Psychology, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC 27411
| | - Jessica Allen
- Department of Biological, Physical, and Health Sciences, Roosevelt University, Chicago, IL 60605
| | - Gillian Bowser
- Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523
| | - Caren B Cooper
- Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | | | | | - Robin Kodner
- Environmental Sciences, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225
| | - Mara Laslo
- Biological Sciences, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02481
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Holm RH, Osborne Jelks N, Schneider R, Smith T. Beyond COVID-19: Designing Inclusive Public Health Surveillance by Including Wastewater Monitoring. Health Equity 2023; 7:377-379. [PMID: 37351532 PMCID: PMC10282970 DOI: 10.1089/heq.2022.0055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology is a promising and expanding public health surveillance method. The current wastewater testing trajectory to monitor primarily at community wastewater treatment plants was necessitated by immediate needs of the pandemic. Going forward, specific consideration should be given to monitoring vulnerable and underserved communities to ensure inclusion and rapid response to public health threats. This is particularly important when clinical testing data are insufficient to characterize community virus levels and spread in specific locations. Now is a timely call to action for equitably protecting health in the United States, which can be guided with intentional and inclusive wastewater monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rochelle H. Holm
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | | | | | - Ted Smith
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
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Johnson T, Jelks NO. Implementing community-engaged ecological research in Proctor Creek, an urban watershed in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Ecol Appl 2022:e2792. [PMID: 36482777 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The Southeast Region of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) implemented community-engaged research in Proctor Creek, an urban watershed in Northwest Atlanta, Georgia, to sample for aquatic species of concern in Atlanta, Georgia's Proctor Creek Watershed as a part of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership program. This research shifted the focus of the agency from the endangered and pristine natural spaces to a major city watershed negatively impacted by urbanization and other human influences for more than a century. Team members from USFWS, Proctor Creek Watershed residents, local students, and other stakeholders in the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) spent three months conducting stream surveys and participating in community-led events to build relationships and learn community priorities. The team collected data at 11 sites throughout the Proctor Creek Watershed, visually assessed each site, and collected aquatic species using dip nets, seines, and traps. We observed approximately 28 aquatic species, including 13 unique fish species, and eight macroinvertebrate species, including two unique crayfish species. We also observed varying degrees of ecological health throughout the watershed. Native aquatic animal species were found at all stream sites, no matter the condition of the stream. Through creating training resources and disseminating data among team members for future sampling, the team established pathways to keep natural resource stewardship sustainable without direct federal involvement. Through engaging in community-engaged research to achieve the mission of the agency, the USFWS Proctor Creek Watershed survey helped shift the paradigm of how government agencies can connect their mission statements to the ever-changing complex needs of the American public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Johnson
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Field Office, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Na'Taki Osborne Jelks
- Environmental and Health Sciences Program, Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Vance-Chalcraft HD, Jelks NO. Community-engaged learning to broaden the impact of applied ecology: A case study. Ecol Appl 2022:e2768. [PMID: 36271610 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Ecological changes are creating disruptions that often disproportionately impact communities of color and economically disadvantaged areas. Scientists who study the consequences experienced by these communities are uniquely suited to bring the public into their work as a way of setting conditions that enable impacted residents to empower themselves to advance environmental and community change. In addition to involving community stakeholders in the process of science, community science can be used to motivate learning and increase engagement of students. Here we highlight a case study of one way a historically Black college involved local communities and students in water quality monitoring efforts to examine the role of the environment in human health. Students in an introductory-level environmental toxicology course collaborated with community members to track pollution and monitor conditions in an urban, impaired stream. Students participated in bi-monthly water quality monitoring alongside community watershed researchers and an annual day-long multisite sampling event with community residents and organizations. Through this engagement, students and community members contributed to the collection of data, learned about the significance of their results, and translated findings into strategies to advance watershed restoration, health, quality of life, and environmental justice goals.
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Jelks NO. Participatory and community-engaged research approaches to address racial, spatial, and health disparities. Explore (NY) 2021; 17:586-589. [PMID: 34511370 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2021.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Cooper CB, Hawn CL, Larson LR, Parrish JK, Bowser G, Cavalier D, Dunn RR, Haklay M(M, Gupta KK, Jelks NO, Johnson VA, Katti M, Leggett Z, Wilson OR, Wilson S. Inclusion in citizen science: The conundrum of rebranding. Science 2021. [DOI: 10.1126/science.abi6487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Does replacing the term “citizen science” do more harm than good?
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Affiliation(s)
- Caren B. Cooper
- The list of author affilations is available in the supplementary materials
| | - Chris L. Hawn
- The list of author affilations is available in the supplementary materials
| | - Lincoln R. Larson
- The list of author affilations is available in the supplementary materials
| | - Julia K. Parrish
- The list of author affilations is available in the supplementary materials
| | - Gillian Bowser
- The list of author affilations is available in the supplementary materials
| | - Darlene Cavalier
- The list of author affilations is available in the supplementary materials
| | - Robert R. Dunn
- The list of author affilations is available in the supplementary materials
| | | | - Kaberi Kar Gupta
- The list of author affilations is available in the supplementary materials
| | | | - Valerie A. Johnson
- The list of author affilations is available in the supplementary materials
| | - Madhusudan Katti
- The list of author affilations is available in the supplementary materials
| | - Zakiya Leggett
- The list of author affilations is available in the supplementary materials
| | - Omega R. Wilson
- The list of author affilations is available in the supplementary materials
| | - Sacoby Wilson
- The list of author affilations is available in the supplementary materials
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Jelks NO. Pathways to advancing environmental and health justice: Addressing cumulative risks and impacts. Explore (NY) 2021; 17:274-276. [PMID: 33745849 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2021.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Na'Taki Osborne Jelks
- Spelman College, Environmental and Health Sciences Program, 350 Spelman Lane SW, Box 235, Atlanta, GA 30314 USA.
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Jelks NO, Smith-Perry DJ, Fuller CH, Stauber C. Participatory research in Northwest Atlanta's Proctor Creek Watershed: Using photovoice to explore environmental health risks at the water's edge. Health Place 2020; 66:102444. [PMID: 33010659 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
In this study we used a participatory research method, photovoice, to explore community perceptions about environmental health risks, community assets, and strengths in and around an urban, degraded watershed in Northwest Atlanta, Georgia. This watershed, formed by Proctor Creek, is a focal point for redevelopment and infrastructure investments for years to come. Using a community-based participatory research approach, 10 Proctor Creek residents (watershed researchers), and a university partner, engaged in data collection; participatory data analysis; internal discussions; translation of research findings into watershed restoration, community revitalization, remedial action, and policy solutions; and dissemination of results to fellow watershed residents, stakeholders, and decision makers. We present a conceptual model linking the watershed researchers' understanding of urban policies and practice in the Proctor Creek Watershed to environmental, neighborhood and housing conditions and their influence on health outcomes and quality of life. Engaging community members in defining their own community environmental health challenges and assets yielded the following primary themes: 1) threats to the natural environment, 2) built environment stressors that influence health, 3) blight and divestment of public resources, and 4) hope for the future. Residents' vision for the future of the watershed - a restored creek, revitalized neighborhoods, and restored people - is fueled by a strong connection to history, memory, and sense of place. We demonstrate the value of local knowledge in identifying previously unaddressed environmental health risks in the Proctor Creek Watershed as well as solutions to reduce or eliminate them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na'Taki Osborne Jelks
- Environmental and Health Sciences Program, Spelman College, 350 Spelman Lane SW, Box 235, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA; Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 3995, GA, 30302-3995, USA.
| | - Donna J Smith-Perry
- Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 3995, GA, 30302-3995, USA.
| | - Christina H Fuller
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 3995, GA, 30302-3995, USA.
| | - Christine Stauber
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 3995, GA, 30302-3995, USA.
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Jelks NO, Hawthorne TL, Dai D, Fuller CH, Stauber C. Mapping the Hidden Hazards: Community-Led Spatial Data Collection of Street-Level Environmental Stressors in a Degraded, Urban Watershed. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2018; 15:ijerph15040825. [PMID: 29690570 PMCID: PMC5923867 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15040825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2018] [Revised: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We utilized a participatory mapping approach to collect point locations, photographs, and descriptive data about select built environment stressors identified and prioritized by community residents living in the Proctor Creek Watershed, a degraded, urban watershed in Northwest Atlanta, Georgia. Residents (watershed researchers) used an indicator identification framework to select three watershed stressors that influence urban livability: standing water, illegal dumping on land and in surface water, and faulty stormwater infrastructure. Through a community⁻university partnership and using Geographic Information Systems and digital mapping tools, watershed researchers and university students designed a mobile application (app) that enabled them to collect data associated with these stressors to create a spatial narrative, informed by local community knowledge, that offers visual documentation and representation of community conditions that negatively influence the environment, health, and quality of life in urban areas. By elevating the local knowledge and lived experience of community residents and codeveloping a relevant data collection tool, community residents generated fine-grained, street-level, actionable data. This process helped to fill gaps in publicly available datasets about environmental hazards in their watershed and helped residents initiate solution-oriented dialogue with government officials to address problem areas. We demonstrate that community-based knowledge can contribute to and extend scientific inquiry, as well as help communities to advance environmental justice and leverage opportunities for remediation and policy change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na'Taki Osborne Jelks
- Department of Public Health, Agnes Scott College, 141 E. College Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030, USA.
| | - Timothy L Hawthorne
- Department of Sociology, University of Central Florida, 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Phillips Hall, Room 403-P, Orlando, FL 32816, USA.
| | - Dajun Dai
- Department of Geosciences, Georgia State University, 24 Peachtree Center Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA.
| | - Christina H Fuller
- Division of Environmental Health, Georgia State University School of Public Health, P.O. Box 3995, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA.
| | - Christine Stauber
- Division of Environmental Health, Georgia State University School of Public Health, P.O. Box 3995, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA.
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