PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2013, Arts and Sciences: Geography

Most studies that examine the equity in spatial access to parks rely on geographic information systems (GIS) and secondary data, and measure access strictly in terms of distance, leaving out other important determinates of access. A need exists for measures of spatial access that include environmental factors such as perceptions of safety, the presence and quality of sidewalks, and heavy traffic, all of which influence levels of physical activity. This dissertation details a qualitative GIS approach that moves beyond distance-based access measures to physical activity resources and engages local adult and youth residents in a participatory research process. The qualitative GIS approach combines GIS-based distance measures with environmental audits, digital photography, Group Level Assessment, and participatory mapping in order to gain local knowledge of the environmental factors that facilitate or inhibit access to the Licking River Greenway and Trails (LRGT), an urban greenway in Northern Kentucky. Including local perceptions of the built environment provides a more realistic portrayal of access, one that includes local insights to the barriers to physical activity and that reveals potential issues related to inequities in access. By identifying equity issues and creating maps that can be utilized by local residents, this research may help ensure that the LRGT is built in a way that improves access for low-income and minority areas.

Committee: Wendy Eisner Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Changjoo Kim Ph.D. (Committee Member); Farrah Jacquez Ph.D. (Committee Member); Kevin Raleigh Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Geography

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, Geography

Geographers play important roles in public health research, particularly in understanding healthcare accessibility and individual healthcare experiences. Most geographers recognize the multi-dimensionality of accessibility, including distance to provider, cost, provider availability, service accommodation, and service satisfaction. Most accessibility studies have benefited from the increased sophistication of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the availability of geocoded data. Some studies have been enhanced with semi-structured in-depth interviews to understand individual experiences of people as they access healthcare. However, few accessibility studies have explicitly utilized individual in-depth interview data in the construction of new GIS accessibility measures. Using mixed-methods including GIS analysis and individual data from semi-structured in-depth interviews, I offer satisfaction-adjusted distance (SAD) as a new way of conceptualizing accessibility in GIS. Based on my fieldwork in a predominantly lower-income community in Columbus, Ohio, I find that many residents felt neighborhood healthcare facilities offered low-quality care. Such comments suggested residents may have an added psychological distance as they attempt to access high-quality healthcare facilities. The satisfaction-adjusted distance measure, based on individual level data, accounts for the psychological distance some residents feel as they search for high-quality healthcare in urban neighborhoods. In moving beyond conventional GIS and re-conceptualizing accessibility in this way, I offer a more realistic portrayal of the issues lower income urban residents face as they attempt to access high-quality healthcare facilities. The work has theoretical implications for conceptualizing healthcare accessibility, advances the mixed-methodologies literature, and argues for a more equitable distribution of high-quality healthcare services in urban neighborhoods.

Committee: Mei-Po Kwan (Advisor); Darla Munroe (Committee Member); Amy Ferketich (Committee Member); James Beatty (Other) Subjects: Geography

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2017, Geography

Geographic research at the intersection between development critiques and political ecology questions a potential disconnect between extra-local development initiatives and local livelihoods. Kenya, under its Vision 2030 for sustainable development, is expanding the national electric grid to many rural areas, potentially introducing electricity as a process and effect on local livelihoods. I assess the introduction of electricity to Mt. Kasigau, a rural area in southeast Kenya, focusing on how the development intervention is perceived and acted upon by local communities and individual residents. Working with community residents in three villages the research employed a mixed methods approach, including participatory GIS (PGIS) to map and analyze the electric grid, and semi-structured interviews to gain local perspectives on the processes of community and household-level electrification. The study mapped eight electrical transformers, 164 connected buildings and 11,607 meters of power lines, indicating about 18% serviced area and 38-71% service population among the three villages. Respondents highlight distinctions among availability, accessibility, and reliability for homes and in the community and distinctive contributions to diversification. Local perceptions on introduction of electricity are clearly positive at Mt. Kasigau and shows benefits to sustainable livelihoods.

Committee: Kimberly Medley Dr. (Advisor); Ian Yeboah Dr. (Committee Member); John Maingi Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Energy; Geographic Information Science; Geography; Political Science

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2010, Arts and Sciences : Geography

Recent studies suggest that climate-warming will impact the Arctic regions more so than anywhere else on Earth. Drastic and sometimes catastrophic changes have been occurring in the Arctic within the last few decades. The Inupiat people of the North Slope of Alaska have an urgent interest in addressing potential changes to their environment. They have firsthand knowledge of these changes, and their insights can provide a level of understanding not often available through traditional scientific methods. This research explores the intersection between science, technology and indigenous knowledge. In the last five years, 53 interviews were conducted which collected a variety of information involving landscape processes, natural resources, vegetation, cultural/historical sites, life stories, and language. This information was incorporated into a GIS database; the data was then used to create an indigenous knowledge website. This research has produced a viable Web-based GIS that houses a repository of elder and community knowledge from four villages on the North Slope of Alaska. The goal of this project is to return all of the data to the community in a method that is engaging and educational and also promotes community participation and collaboration. By providing the means for the stakeholders to participate in this process, it is anticipated that the community will assume control of data collection, thereby preserving their own culture and creating a living document.

Committee: Wendy Eisner PhD (Committee Chair); Changjoo Kim PhD (Committee Member); Kenneth Hinkel PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Geography

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2012, Geography

Landscape spatial and temporal changes are of critical importance in resource conservation. This study examined how the integration of remote sensing, geographical information systems, and local knowledge contributes toward understanding land cover changes in Jora and Makwasinyi villages at Mt. Kasigau, Kenya. Two research questions were asked. 1) How can local mapping contribute to the interpretation of historical and current land cover images? 2) How and why has land cover changed? Between June and July 2011, I carried out local mapping sessions, group discussions, and transect walks with focus groups of men and women in the villages. Current and past land cover types drawn on the participatory maps were overlayed onto a 2010 KOMPSAT-2 image. Residents described the emergence of woody plants at the historical mountain farms and loss of vegetation across the bushland. Whilst human activities posed a threat to the bushland, the montane forest was protected.

Committee: Kimberly Medley PhD (Advisor); John Maingi PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Mary Henry PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Conservation; Cultural Resources Management; Environmental Studies; Forestry; Geographic Information Science; Geography; Land Use Planning; Natural Resource Management; Physical Geography; Remote Sensing