CEE Seminar: A Path Toward Systemic Equity in Engineering Applications for Transdisciplinary Effect

Abstract: Social equity has been a concept of interest for many years. Yet, there has not been a consolidation of relevant concepts and application framing in energy and environmental life cycle assessment and decision-making practices. In this talk, I present a framework for integrating equity in energy and environmental research and practitioner settings, which we call systemic equity (i.e., the simultaneous and effective administration of distributional, procedural and recognitional equities). To help provide common language and shared understanding for when equity is ineffectively administered, I present ostensible, aspirational and exploitational equities. Furthermore, there are tangible research examples provided to illustrate this framework’s application. I close by establishing an adaptive 10-step process for developing standard sociodemographic data practices. This framework and 10-step process are translatable to other practitioner and research communities and should be employed urgently. 

Bio: Joe Bozeman is an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, with a courtesy appointment in the School of Public Policy, at the Georgia Institute of Technology. As director of the Social Equity and Environmental Engineering Lab (SEEEL), his research focuses on developing equitable socioecological, urban carbon management and food-energy-water strategies. He has over a decade of private and public sector experience, and his award-winning work has been featured in major media outlets such as Popular Science and NPR.