Project Mentor
Dr. Peter Chen
Department: Geography
Research Project Overview:
The research project will explore people’s food activities in Hartford using a mixed-method design (i.e., GIS mapping and field survey). It will explore people’s food shopping activities and how these activities are linked to their food perception and lived experience. Specifically, the project will solicit people’s residential location, perceived food stores, and actual food activities by a structured survey. The survey will also ask for people’s sociodemographics, which will be linked to their food activities to explore the existence of food inequities. Another important step of the project is to map out people’s home addresses and food activity locations for spatial inequity assessment. By combining both the field survey and GIS mapping, the project aims to identify the individual-specific scope of food perception and food activities as well as factors contributing to such perception and activities. It will eventually help to elucidate issues of health inequities and will demystify factors contributing to unhealthy diets.
Role of a SHARE Summer Apprentice:
The research apprentice will help with the field survey. The research apprentice will also assist with literature review and proofreading manuscripts. Also, the research apprentice will receive training about GIS mapping and spatial analysis (prior mapping skills are not required).
Summer Schedule/Time Commitment:
The research hours per week are flexible. The research apprentice is expected to attend a one-hour regular meeting each week. We expect the data collection to be completed by the end of summer. There is also a possibility for the research apprentice to continue the work in the fall, depending on the project progress and the apprentice’s interest.
Preferred Qualifications:
The research apprentice should have fluent English speaking and writing skills. The research apprentice should have an interest in social science research and geospatial technologies. Familiarity with the Greater Hartford region is a plus.
To Apply:
Applications are closed for this apprenticeship.
Click here to view an outline of the application questions. In addition to the question on the outline, applicants for this position will be asked the following question:
- Obtaining and consuming healthy food can be different for different people. For example, those under financial stress may find it hard to maintain a healthy diet. In your opinion, what are the three biggest barriers preventing people from getting healthy food? (500 words maximum)