Thesis subject
MSc thesis topic: Identification of Candidate Locations for Industrial Areas in Oklahoma City
The John F. Kennedy (JFK) neighborhood in the City of Oklahoma City (OKC) is a historically Black neighborhood. Located in a formerly red-lined area, to this day, its inhabitants experience the effects of racial segregation. One aspect is the placement of heavy industry surrounding the neighborhood. Noise, smells, and explosions related to industrial activities in this area affect the health and well-being of the neighborhood’s citizens as well as their property values.
In this research project, we will use wind direction information to analyze the effect of heavy industry placement on the JFK Neighborhood. We will also use a combination of additional spatial datasets (e.g., zoning data) to identify candidate locations for relocating heavy industry to other locations in the OKC metropolitan area.
Objectives and Research Questions
- How does wind direction play into the impact of heavy industry on the quality of life in the JFK Neighborhood?
- Which locations would be suitable for relocating industry under consideration of zoning regulations in the OKC metro area?
Requirements
- Introduction to Geo-information Science
- Geo-information Tools
- Interest in socio-environmental research
Literature and information
- Rothstein, R. (2017) The Color of Law – A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America. Liveright Publishing Corporation, 368 pp.
Doubler, D.L. et al. (2015) An NARR-Derived Climatology of Southerly and Northerly Low-Level Jets over North America and Coastal Environs. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 54(7), 1596-1619. - Djurić, D., & Ladwig, D. S. (1983). Southerly low-level jet in the winter cyclones of the southwestern Great Plains. Monthly Weather Review, 111(11), 2275-2281.
- Weaver, S. J., & Nigam, S. (2008). Variability of the Great Plains low-level jet: Large-scale circulation context and hydroclimate impacts. Journal of Climate, 21(7), 1532-1551.
Expected reading list before starting the thesis research
- Childers, M., Landry, A., & Barnett, T. (2023) John F. Kennedy (JFK) Neighborhood, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Discriminatory Zoning Decisions and Legal History. The University of Oklahoma, Capstone Report.
- Leslie, C. (2023) Environmental Health Inequalities and Discriminatory Zoning: Identifying Systemic Barriers for Environmental Health Equities through Community-engaged Research (The University of Oklahoma, Dissertation)
Theme(s): Human – space interaction; Empowering & engaging communities