Mapping Urban Heat Islands in El Paso, Texas
Dr. Chakraborty collaborated with the City of El Paso, UTEP faculty, and other local partners to prepare a proposal that was selected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for their National Integrated Heat Health Information System 2020 Urban Heat Island (UHI) Mapping Campaign. El Paso was one of 13 U.S. cities chosen for this community science heat mapping project that brings together local volunteers, public and private organizations, universities, and non-profit organizations to co-produce high-resolution heat maps and generate collaborative solutions for mitigating extreme heat exposure. Dr. Chakraborty and SEGA lab students were actively involved in research design, neighborhood selection, volunteer recruitment, and/or data analysis for the El Paso UHI Mapping Campaign (Summer 2020), which involved partnerships with the City of El Paso Community & Human Development and Public Health Departments, National Weather Service of El Paso, Border 2020 Program, and several other local organizations. Several students from the College of Liberal Arts, College of Engineering, and other UTEP programs participated as project volunteers to drive designated routes and collect temperature/humidity measurements over three one-hour periods on July 10, 2020.
A press release for this project is available here.
Results from the El Paso UHI Mapping Campaign can be viewed here.