Geospatial Technology:
Applications in Service Learning and
Environmental Sustainability
David A. Padgett
Geographic Information Sciences Laboratory
Tennessee State University
2003-2010: Nashville Food Desert
Mapping Project
Partners: Tying Nashville Together, Community
Food Advocates, Inc., Meharry Medical
College, Nashville Metropolitan Health
Department, TSU Office of Service Learning
and Civic Engagement, Vanderbilt University
Community Outreach Partnership Center
(COPC)
TSU Service Learning Courses: Cartography
(GEOG 3100), Urban Geography (GEOG
4850)
TSU Students: Urban Studies, Education
Funding: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,
U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Fall 2003 – Cartography (GEOG 3100) student class project. Shapefile of grocery
stores geocoded using data obtained from Nashville’s Metro Health Department.
Maps were shared with Vanderbilt University’s Community Outreach Partnership
Center (COPC) in support of their food desert research efforts in North Nashville.
Fall 2010 - A Cartography (GEOG 3100) student is providing food desert
mapping data to Community Food Advocates in support of the “Corner Stores”
project to fulfill the requirements of his “Community Mapping Term Paper.”
Food Desert Mapping Project
Results and Status
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Since 2004, the TSU Geographic
Information Sciences Laboratory has
provided data to community partners
working to bring grocery stores to
under-served Nashville
neighborhoods.
Fall 2009-Summer 2010 – The TSU
Geographic Information Sciences
Laboratory collaborated on research
with Meharry Medical College aimed at
determining the impact of food deserts
upon obesity rates in low-income
communities.
Fall 2010 – The TSU Geographic
Information Sciences Laboratory is
providing food desert mapping data to
the Nashville Metropolitan Health
Department in support of the $7.5
million “Putting Prevention to Work”
initiative.
2004-2010: TSU Campus-Community
Recycling Project
Partners: Nashville Office of Public Works, TSU
Facilities Management Office, TSU Office of
Student Affairs, Hadley Park Neighborhood
Association, Jefferson Street United
Merchants Partnership (JUMP), African
American Cultural Alliance (AACA),
EarthMatters Tennessee, TSU Gateway 2
Heritage Student Organization, Tennessee
Department of Environment and
Conservation (TDEC)
Courses: Cartography (GEOG 3100), Urban
Geography (GEOG 4850)
Students: Urban Studies, Biology, Engineering,
Political Science, Mathematics
Funding: National Wildlife Federation, U.S.
Department of Energy
Source: Mohai, Paul. “Dispelling Old Myths: African American Concern for
the Environment.” Environment Journal. Vol. 45, No. 5 (June 2003): 11-26.
Locations of Metro Recycling Centers in Proximity to Tennessee State
University’s Main Campus and Nashville/Davidson County’s
Black Population - 2004
2004 – Tennessee State University Campus – Community
Recycling Pilot Project Funded with National Wildlife Federation
Campus Ecology Fellowship
Campus-Community Recycling Pilot Project
GIS and GPS Mapping of Nashville Curbside Recycling
Program Participation Rates by Neighborhood: 2005-2006
Campus-Community Recycling Pilot Project
GIS and GPS Mapping of Bin Locations with Pounds of
Recyclable Material Collected - Summer 2006
Institutional “Buy-In” Fall 2007
TSU Campus-Community Recycling Committee
Community Information Meetings
January 2008
TSU Campus-Community Recycling
Center Site – Opens April 22nd 2008
(Earth Day)
Campus-Community Recycling
Project Results and Status
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The recycling center is monitored by
TSU Police and Facilities Management
and emptied by the Nashville Office of
Public Works.
TSU student environmental and other
service organizations are working with
TSU Facilities Management to move
campus recyclable materials to the
drop-off site.
In the future, proceeds from the
recyclables will be used to fund “green
scholarships” at TSU.
Grants funds are being pursued to
support a campus-community
environmental education initiative with
the African American Cultural Alliance
as community partner.
Service Learning Deliverables
TSU students in the GEOG 3100 and 4850
courses complete three required writing
assignments –
1)a “Project Expectations Essay” prior to
beginning the service learning experience,
2)a “Project Journal” in which they are to
maintain a daily record of their activities, and
3)a closed-book expository “Reflection Essay”
at the end of the course.
Service Learning Deliverables
Urban Geography: Successful Student-Community Partner Grants
• 2006 African American Cultural Alliance and Donnie Harris/Eric
Thomas – Frist Foundation Technology Grant - $2,000
• 2006 Imagine College/Pearl-Cohn High School and Tasha Phillips –
My Community, Our Earth Grant Program - $1,500
• 2007 EarthMatters Tennessee and Antonio Johnson – Frist
Foundation Technology Grant - $1,700
• 2007 Jefferson Street United Merchants Partnership and Curtis
Green – Frist Foundation Technology Grant - $2,250
• 2008 EarthMatters Tennessee and Brandon Scales – Community
Forestry and Environmental Research Grant Program - $6,200
Thursday, November 18 – 11:30 am-12:45 pm
Pearl-Cohn High School 9th Grade Academy
915 38th Avenue North
Room 156
Preliminary Agenda:
11:30 am - Welcome by Principal Glenn Paschall
11:35 am - Remarks by Ms. Nekya Young, TSU HUD Project Coordinator
11:40 am - Remarks by Dr. David A. Padgett, Director, GIS Lab at Tennessee State University
11:45 am - GIS Project Presentations by PCHS 9th Grade Academy Students
11:55 am - GIS Research Paper Presentations by TSU Cartography Students
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
“Mapping Nashville’s Food Deserts" - Dustin Shane, Urban Studies Major
“Geographic Information Systems as a Means to Improve Computer Literacy in 9th Grade
Students” – Contessa McNeal, History Major, and Pretoria Griffin, Psychology Major
“Global Positioning Systems Tracking and Police Intelligence” – Gabriel Collins, Criminal Justice
Major
“Google Earth and Terrorism” – Miles Turner, History Major
“The Use of Geographic Information Systems to Assist in the Design of Enhanced
Bioremediation at Obed River Crude Oil Spill Site” - Lore’al Spear, Engineering Major
QUESTIONS?
Geographic Information Sciences
Laboratory
David A. Padgett, Director
Box 9538
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615-963-5508
dpadgett@tnstate.edu