Joplin C's Senior Project Blog
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Project Title: Same Sun, Different Heat: The Disproportionate Effects of Heat-Related Illness in our Community BASIS Advisor: Lucy Wilcox Internship Location: Arizona State University Onsite Mentor: Dr Patricia Solis |
Project Abstract
There is no doubt that Phoenix, a bustling metropolis in the Sonoran Desert with high summer temperatures, has its fair share of heat-related illness cases. Each year, hundreds die from excessive heat, with many more suffering from injury as a result. Combined with the yearly increase in heat-related deaths, excessive heat is an ever relevant issue in the age of climate change that places a large strain on the state of public health. However, not everyone in Phoenix is impacted the same, as some groups of people disproportionately suffer from greater effects than others. My project focuses on identifying these socioeconomic and environmental factors that put certain populations more at-risk to heat-related illness in the Phoenix Metro Area. Since these metrics vary within the city, creating data groups based on location is essential to organize a clear picture of the issue. To do so, I will be using mapping techniques to create heat maps that represent relevant data values for heat vulnerability compared to instances of heat illnesses, such as surface temperature and tree canopy cover, organized by zip code. By working with Dr. Solís at ASU, I look to gain access to data collection and mapping resources that will help me gain insight toward such a critical issue in Phoenix, along with expert guidance on how to best employ them. I hope that this will give a preliminary look into which factors have the strongest association with rates of heat-related illness in the Phoenix Metro Area.
Week 10: Back to ArcGIS StoryMaps
Hello everyone! This is our second to last blog post for the year, so let’s finish off strong! Over these past few weeks, I have primarily been using ArcGIS to create all the maps that I need and all of the spatial analysis to come to a conclusion for my presentation. Now, it is time... Read More
Week 9: Spatial Analysis
Hey there! I can’t believe that we are almost finished! This past week, I worked on the spatial analysis of all the maps I’ve created previously! I performed a Local Bivariate Spatial Analysis, which essentially determines whether there is a significant relationship between two variables per data group (zip code). As I suspected earlier, some... Read More
Week 8: Mapping Complete!
Hello everyone! This past week I finished all of the maps that I was planning on including in my final presentation (with varying levels of correlation)! I’m not going to include pictures of all of them in this blog post, but I wanted to briefly go over what they are about. Housing Tenure Status: Mobile... Read More
Week 7: Healthcare Coverage
Hello everyone! This week, I looked into another factor that could have a correlation with heat-related illness: healthcare coverage. Since the United States lacks a universal healthcare system, healthcare insurance is a way for many people to afford access to healthcare in the United States. However, not everyone is insured. While some entities such as... Read More
Week 6: Looking at the Whole City + Poverty Rates
Welcome back everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful spring break! Y’all deserve it for all of your hard work throughout the year! And speaking of year… I can’t believe the year is almost over! However, that also means that we have reached the halfway mark of my project. Many of the maps I... Read More
Week 5: Spring Break
Hey there! I’ve decided to take my spring break this week. Throughout the week, I’ll continue to brush up on ArcGIS so that I can be more prepared when I am back. Enjoy your spring break and I’ll see you all soon! Joplin Chambers Read More
Week 4: The Varying Rates of Heat Related Illness
Hello everyone! Welcome back to my blog! This week, I began working on the maps that I will use in my analysis and my final projects! The map I worked on this week depicts the rates of heat-related deaths in each zip code throughout the city of Phoenix. I gathered data from the 2020 US... Read More
Week 3: ArcGIS and the Living Atlas
Hey there! This past week has been a busy one, so let’s get right into it! I began learning how to use ArcGIS, and I already can see the huge potential that it has to help me throughout my project. My on-site mentor referenced me to an ArcGIS course that provides new exercises each week... Read More
Week 2: Preparing for ArcGIS
Hello! Welcome back to my Senior Project Blog! Although I introduced both ArcGIS and ArcGIS StoryMaps last week, I realized that the difference between ArcGIS and ArcGIS StoryMaps might seem a little bit confusing. So, to clarify, ArcGIS is a geographic information system. Think of it as like a mapping software that can be used... Read More
Week 1: Learning ArcGIS StoryMaps
Welcome back! This past Monday was my first day at my site placement! On that day, I met postdoctoral scholars Ebenezer N.K. “Boat” Boateng and Saeideh Sobhaninia, and I learned about an ongoing study that they are working on to find ways of providing solutions to increase heat resilience in Mesa. The project focuses on... Read More
Week 0: It All Begins Here!
Hey there! My name is Joplin Chambers, and my senior project will be focusing on heat-related illness in the Phoenix Metro Area. More specifically, disparities between who heat-related illnesses affect. Of course, a metropolis of 5 million people in the heart of the Sonoran Desert has its fair share of such cases, but extreme heat... Read More