Students recap project findings for Fall 2021 student showcase 

On December 1, 2021, ASU Project Cities hosted its virtual project showcase with the City of Peoria. Students from five ASU schools covered a variety of topics throughout the semester, including sustainable solid waste management, messaging campaigns, community engagement, and historic preservation.   

• Biomass Gasification & E-Waste Feasibility Study with Al Brown’s ERM 432/532: Sustainable Solid Waste Management. Twenty-two undergraduate and graduate students split into two groups to investigate the feasibility of an e-waste recycling program and a biomass gasification program. Students reviewed existing programs from peer communities and recommended possible partnerships with other cities to develop a robust sustainable waste management program. (VIDEO) 
• Transit Messaging: Crafting Messages with Nicole Lee’s CMN 520: Communication Campaigns. Four graduate students worked with Peoria’s Public Works to design an outreach campaign that promotes Peoria’s recently launched POGO circulator. Students distributed a survey to Peoria residents to gauge their perception of public transit, which received 130 responses! (VIDEO) 
• Recycling Education Campaign with Nicole Lee’s CMN 520: Communication Campaigns. Four graduate students worked with Peoria’s Public Works to produce messaging strategies for Peoria’s sustainable waste programs. Students distributed a survey to gain insight into resident perceptions of recycling and solid waste management and produced potential marketing materials that educate residents about sustainable solid waste programs. (VIDEO) 

• Community Engagement Strategy with Greg Broberg’s JUS 500: Research Methods & LaDawn Haglund’s JUS 456: Human Rights & Sustainability. Two classes researched community engagement best practices. Students from LaDawn’s JUS 456 Human Rights & Sustainability class interviewed Peoria staff about their perceptions and work with sustainability. Also, three graduate students worked with Greg Broberg to create a research proposal to identify Peoria’s hard-to-reach audiences. This project will continue to the spring 2022 semester, with Greg’s undergraduate Research Methods class conducting outreach to Peoria’s southern tip. (VIDEO) 
• Historic Downtown Revitalization: Lessons from 6 Cities with Daniel Schugurensky’s PAF 509: Public Affairs Capstone. Three graduate students worked on a capstone project to conduct a literature and case study review of historic revitalization strategies. The students reviewed six peer communities, and recommended strategies to Peoria’s City Manager’s Office and Planning and Zoning for the revitalization of Peoria’s Downtown. (VIDEO) 
• Dark Sky Ordinance Study with Nalini Chhetri’s SOS 498/594: Urban Sustainability Best Practices. Eight undergraduate and graduate students worked with Peoria’s Planning and Zoning department to research best practices in light pollution reduction and recommend strategies for a city-wide Dark Sky Ordinance. (VIDEO)  
• Safe Battery Storage in Residential Areas with Malcolm Goggin’s PAF 509: Public Affairs Capstone. One capstone student worked with Peoria’s Fire-Medical department to examine safety practices regarding residential battery storage, and devise recommendations for Peoria’s Fire-Medical. (VIDEO) 

You can check out the opening remarks HERE.  

We recognize the student’s creativity and dedication to their projects. We also appreciate the City of Peoria’s commitment to fostering a learning environment for the students, and their passion for new ideas.  

 

Project Cities is a member of the Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities Network (EPIC-N) and is administered by ASU’s Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory and the Sustainable Cities Network. Stay up to date with Project Cities and the Sustainable Cities Network by following us on social media or subscribing to our newsletter.