Abstract View
Social Science in Community Air Monitoring
ELISA LAZZARINO, Sherri Hunt, EPA
Abstract Number: 225
Working Group: Translating Aerosol Research for Societal Impact: Science Communication and Public Outreach
Abstract
This review of six EPA STAR-grant funded community-focused projects highlights the value of integrating social scientists at the beginning stages of work. Several social science themes relevant in communicating complex scientific information to the public emerge including advancing environmental literacy, developing trusting relationships with diverse communities, and building the capacity necessary to effect real change. Low-cost air quality sensors remain a focal point for researchers and community action organizations alike in recent years for their potential to cover temporal and spatial gaps in monitoring from conventional sensor networks, as well as their potential to maximize benefits to communities that experience poor air quality. However, researchers and sensor developers continue to face immense challenges to make the devices and the complex data they generate accessible to the public. While still infrequent, collaborations between aerosol scientists, social scientists, and community and citizen scientist collaborators present opportunities to advance science, generate more useful results, and make a greater impact with their research. Social science methods and thoughtful engagements with communities informed the development of several tools, apps, and guidance materials that respond to the needs of their intended communities. While likely more costly in time and resources than traditional aerosol research, these interdisciplinary projects also illustrate how researchers can overcome the challenges and pitfalls of communicating across scientific disciplines and working with communities, ultimately leading to positive change and making the devices more useful.