About City Science: The Urban Effects of Climate Change on Portland
with Vivek Shandas, PhD, Professor, Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University
As climate change turns up the heat in Portland, some parts of the city are feeling the burn more than others. Paved surfaces, buildings, and large roadways can amplify the heat of a summer day, creating "heat islands" in parts of the city that can be 15 degrees hotter than shaded, tree-covered areas like Forest Park. More than being simply uncomfortable, these pockets of extreme heat can present serious health hazards - especially to lower-income people and people of color, who are more likely to live in the affected areas.
In his special pre-Earth Day talk, ?Dr. Shandas will discuss how climate change is affecting us here and now in Portland. He will explain his groundbreaking research that shows how past city planning decisions set the stage for urban heat islands and racial inequity - and the exciting ways that local researchers, city agencies, and volunteer community scientists are teaming up to tackle the problem and help Portland adapt to our changing climate.
Dr. Vivek Shandas is a Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University, the Research Director of the Institute for Sustainable Solutions, and founder of the Sustainable Urban Places Research (SUPR) Lab?.? As a doctoral student at the University of Washington, Dr. Shandas received a fellowship with the National Science Foundation to help develop the field of urban ecology; today he teaches and conducts research at the forefront of that field, specializing in strategies to help cities adapt to climate change. ?His groundbreaking work on urban heat island effects and environmental justice have recently been featured in National Geographic and The New York Times. Dr. Shandas' interdisciplinary education includes a B.S. from the University of California at Santa Cruz, Masters degrees in both Economics and Environmental Policy and Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY, and a Ph.D in Urban Design and Planning from the University of Washington.
