Environmental inequality continues to be a major issue within large urban areas, where environmental burdens and public resources are not always distributed equally among communities. This project examined whether waste facilities and recycling resources are distributed evenly throughout Chicago, Illinois, and whether certain neighborhoods experience higher levels of Environmental Justice risk than others. The main research question focused on how waste facility proximity, recycling accessibility, and demographic vulnerability vary across Chicago census tracts and whether these patterns align with broader environmental justice concerns discussed in previous research. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis techniques were used to investigate these patterns. Several datasets were collected from the City of Chicago Data Portal, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the American Community Survey (ACS). The project used point mapping, Kernel Density analysis, Multiple Ring Buffer analysis, proximity analysis, and weighted Environmental Justice risk modeling to analyze the distribution of public waste bins, recycling drop-off facilities, and demographic vulnerability throughout the city. Demographic variables including median household income and racial composition were standardized into a Demographic Vulnerability Index, which was later combined with waste proximity and recycling accessibility scores to create a final Environmental Justice Risk Index. The analysis identified noticeable spatial variation in environmental burden and recycling accessibility throughout Chicago. Kernel Density analysis showed strong clustering patterns of public waste bins throughout portions of the North and West Sides of the city, while recycling accessibility appeared less evenly distributed between neighborhoods. Several census tracts also showed elevated Environmental Justice Risk scores due to a combination of demographic vulnerability, closer proximity to waste facilities, and reduced access to recycling resources. Ultimately, this project demonstrated how GIS can be used to identify environmental inequalities and accessibility gaps within urban communities. The findings highlighted the importance of spatial analysis in understanding environmental justice concerns and provided a framework for future research involving environmental risk, accessibility, and community vulnerability.

This study examined whether a simplified, embassy-centered Web Geographic Information Systems (GIS) application could improve travel awareness and practical wayfinding for U.S. travelers abroad. The objective was to design and evaluate a public-facing mapping approach that organized official support locations, travel advisory context, and nearby medical facilities in a readable macro-to-micro workflow. Using ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online, publicly available U.S. diplomatic post locations, U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory data, medical facility data, selected supporting event data, and an OpenStreetMap basemap were compiled and symbolized to support global, regional, and local travel review. The project moved from a global view to a regional case study in Brazil, then to a local embassy-centered view in Rio de Janeiro, before being published as a web map and configured as a live web application. The results showed that the embassy or consulate served as an effective central reference point for organizing travel-related information across scales. A simplified layer structure and macro-to-micro sequence improved readability and helped connect broader destination context with local support features such as medical facilities, a hotel reference point, and recognizable urban infrastructure. The published web map and live web application also demonstrated that the workflow could function beyond static figures through interactive tools such as bookmarks, layer control, filtering, printing, and location marking. Overall, the study found that a simplified, embassy-centered Web GIS application could improve how travel-related information is organized and explored for pre-travel awareness and local orientation. At the same time, future refinements should focus on user testing, mobile and offline usability, and testing across additional destinations.

This study analyzes urban growth and impervious surface expansion in Bartow, Florida, between 2004 and 2024 using GIS and Landsat satellite imagery. The purpose of this study was to quantify land-use change over time and assess how urban expansion affects infrastructure distribution and environmental conditions. The research question examines how urban growth has increased impervious surface coverage and influenced municipal infrastructure. Landsat 5 imagery (2004) and Landsat 8/9 imagery (2024) were classified using supervised classification techniques in ArcGIS Pro. Land cover classes were grouped into developed and non-developed categories, and post-classification change detection was used to quantify land conversion. Infrastructure datasets were overlaid to evaluate spatial relationships with development patterns. The results showed that developed land increased by approximately 20–35%, primarily along transportation corridors, while vegetation and undeveloped land decreased. Impervious surfaces expanded into previously undeveloped parcels, and development patterns were closely aligned with existing infrastructure systems. These findings demonstrate that urban growth in Bartow has increased impervious surface coverage and altered land distribution patterns. This study highlights the value of GIS and remote sensing for monitoring urban expansion and supporting sustainable planning decisions.

This research analyzes river corridor adjustment and floodplain microtopography along a 20-mile reach of the Great Miami River, Ohio, integrating recent National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)-derived terrain models. Using ArcGIS Pro, a 1-meter digital elevation model (DEM) was processed to produce hillshade and relative elevation surfaces that highlight subtle floodplain features. Active channel belt (ACB) polygons were mapped for 2004, 2013, and 2023, and change detection identified zones of erosion and deposition across 52 river segments. Historical 1952 aerial imagery provided qualitative context. Results show that erosion and deposition hotspots are concentrated in specific segments and vary between intervals, rather than being evenly distributed. DEM-based terrain visualizations aided interpretation of floodplain morphology, particularly where historical imagery corresponded with low-relief features; interpretation was limited in areas with significant anthropogenic modification. This integrated approach establishes a repeatable framework for quantifying and visualizing river corridor adjustments, supporting improved management and historical analysis in managed landscapes.

This study examines the relationship between impervious surface distribution and stormwater runoff dynamics in Maricopa County, a rapidly urbanizing region characterized by an arid climate and episodic monsoonal precipitation. The primary objective of this research is to evaluate how increasing impervious surface coverage influences stormwater generation and how these runoff patterns interact with existing drainage networks. Specifically, this study identifies areas where high imperviousness coincides with zones of concentrated stormwater flow. To address this objective, land cover data from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) were used to classify impervious surfaces across the study area. A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was utilized to generate hydrologic surfaces, including flow direction and flow accumulation, within ArcGIS Pro. Hydrographic data from the United States Geological Survey National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) were also incorporated to provide context for existing drainage systems. These datasets were integrated to analyze the spatial relationship between urban development and modeled stormwater runoff pathways. The results indicate that areas with high concentrations of impervious surfaces, particularly within the metropolitan region of Phoenix, correspond closely with zones of elevated flow accumulation. Approximately 2.5% of impervious surfaces were found to overlap with areas of moderate to high flow accumulation, indicating that while some urban development aligns with primary runoff pathways, the majority contributes to more distributed runoff patterns. This study demonstrates that increased impervious surface coverage significantly influences stormwater runoff behavior in Maricopa County. The findings highlight the value of GIS-based spatial analysis for identifying areas vulnerable to stormwater impacts and support the need for informed stormwater management and urban planning strategies in rapidly developing regions.

This study evaluated trail safety, environmental comfort, and accessibility within Wilson Park in Fayetteville, Arkansas, using a mixed-method GIS-based spatial analysis framework. The research integrated municipal geospatial datasets, field-collected lighting infrastructure data, and user perception data collected through ArcGIS Survey123. Spatial analyses included kernel density estimation of lighting intensity, canopy coverage assessment, proximity-based amenity accessibility analysis, and a composite weighted overlay model. Results showed clear spatial variability in park conditions. Lighting infrastructure was concentrated in central recreational areas, while peripheral trail segments exhibited lower lighting density and greater distances to the nearest fixtures. Canopy coverage also varied across the trail network, with higher shading in vegetated corridors and reduced coverage in open recreational zones. Amenity accessibility followed a similar pattern, with central areas offering closer proximity to infrastructure compared to outer trail segments. Survey responses reflected these spatial patterns, with lower perceived safety, reduced lighting adequacy, and decreased environmental comfort clustering along peripheral trails. The weighted overlay analysis integrated objective GIS measures with subjective perception data and identified spatial clusters of “unsafe” conditions in areas characterized by low lighting density, reduced canopy cover, and limited amenity access. Central trail corridors were generally classified as safer or moderately safe. Overall, the findings demonstrate that GIS-based mixed-method approaches can effectively identify spatial mismatches between infrastructure distribution and user experience. This study provides a replicable framework for evaluating neighborhood-scale urban parks and supports targeted infrastructure improvements to enhance trail safety, environmental comfort, and accessibility.