Ping Jing, a professor at the School of Environmental Sustainability at Loyola University Chicago, was the featured speaker of the Climate / Atmospheric Science & Engineering (CASE) Colloquium series on Nov. 11, 2022. The presentation was titled "Community Air Research Experience: Engaging Undergraduate Students in Research on Air Pollution in Chicago Communities."

The CASE Colloquium is presented by the University of Iowa's Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research and the Iowa Technology Institute. Find past CASE presentations here.

ABSTRACT: The Community Air Research Experience (CARE) is a geoscience learning community that engages undergraduate students underrepresented in STEM fields in research to measure and attribute air pollution in Chicago neighborhoods that differ in socioeconomic demographics and proximity to industrial facilities. CARE is a collaboration between Loyola University Chicago’s School of Environmental Sustainability and Colorado State University’s Department of Atmospheric Science. We work closely with two community-based environmental organizations: the Southeast Environmental Task Force and the Edgewater Environmental Coalition. CARE recruits a cohort of eight Loyola undergraduate students every year. CARE students collaborate with scientists and the community-based organizations to design and carry out research that addresses community concerns about air pollution. CARE students build STEM identity through participation in an authentic research experience, mentoring, and introduction to geosciences careers. Students learn about air pollution, gain experience with instrumentation, practice computer programming and data analysis, and communicate scientific results at meetings and conferences—by participating in real research with prosocial impact.

BIOGRAPHY: Dr. Ping Jing is an associate professor in the School of Environmental Sustainability at Loyola University Chicago. Her research studies the impact of climate change on weather conditions and air pollution. She has a strong interest in teaching undergraduate students through experiential learning, especially through community-engagement projects. She holds a B.S. from the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, an M.S. from the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, and a Ph.D. from Georgia Institute of Technology.