Achievement

Inclusion of a social science research methods section in the LEAP curriculum has led to a number of interdisciplinary research projects that link environmental science with social science. By learning how to design surveys and analyze survey data, students from the natural sciences gain tools that allow them to access the human aspects of urban ecology. For example, cohort 3 completed a capstone project studying how participation in a citizen science project of pollinator (bee) collection affected participant attitudes about environmental issues and biodiversity. Cohort 4 applied social network analysis to study the social interactions of conservation groups working in the South Chicago/Calument region. Finally, cohort 5 is undertaking a study that will assess how dune restorations affect the satisfaction of visitors to Chicago beaches.