The Power of Science, GIS and Sensors: A Case Study in Sensor Journalism ESRI CONFERENCE 2015

PROF. AMY SCHMITZ WEISS & KEVIN ROBINSONsensorjournalism.wordpress.com

WHAT’S IN THE AIR

AIR QUALITY SENSOR PROJECT• Collaboration between inewsource and journalism

and geology departments at San Diego State University

• Co-taught by journalism professor and geology lecturer

• Semester-long project – students’ stories and data collected from air quality sensors deployed in the community - published on inewsource

• Sensor technology

• ARCGIS: mapping of sensor data (for discovery, storytelling, and analysis)

• Year-long grant funded by the 2014-2015 ONA Hack the Curriculum Grant

• Interdisciplinary approach

• Teaching journalistic and scientific processes in the classroom

OUR FRAMEWORK

STORY IDEA

• Datasets from the CalEnviroScreen 2.0 report and EPA datasets on PM2.5 levels

• Explore and observe the different neighborhoods of San Diego and their air quality:

• Barrio Logan

• Logan Heights

• Chollas Creek

• Bankers Hill

• Using custom-built sensor kits and observe the air quality in selected neighborhoods

• Numerous observations, data points collected, stories formed over time

• inewsource guidance throughout process

Chicano Park in Barrio Logan. Photo by Camelle Sison

THE COLLABORATORS

• Kevin Robinson (Geology)

• Joe Yerardi, Lorie Hearn (inewsource)

• Other departments on campus (e.g. Public Health, Geology, Geography)

• Multiple guest speakers (e.g. data journalism, sensor tech, public health, etc.)

• Community involvement: (e.g. sensor beta-testers, provided general feedback, etc.)

MAPPING FOR EXPLORATION

ARCGIS skills taught:

• Navigating existing maps/datasets

• Creating layers

• Adding in geo-located data points on a map

• Merging datasets together on one map

• Creating legends/keys

• Sharing/publishing maps

STORYTELLING AND SENSORS

• 22 stories produced; 9 published on inewsource

• 2 video explainers created

• 1 interactive ESRI map of neighborhood sensor observations collected

• Community observations map/dataset - forthcoming

CONCLUSIONS• Geographic inquiry model - a solid framework to lead this kind of

sensor journalism project (parallels between science/journalism)

• ARCGIS was a crucial tool - the power of mapping data; telling important stories through location/maps

• Exciting future for sensor journalism when combined with powerful maps - to tell important stories about the community on a micro level

THANKS! QUESTIONS?

ASCHMITZ@MAIL.SDSU.EDU

@DIGITALAMYSW

AND

ROCKROBINSON@GMAIL.COM

FOLLOW OUR NEWS COVERAGE:

http://inewsource.org/whats-in-the-air/

TEACHING TIPS, BLOG, CLASS SYLLABUS AND MORE:

sensorjournalism.wordpress.com