A Path Toward Systemic Equity in Infrastructure and Food Systems for Transdisciplinary Effect – Joe F. Bozeman III, Georgia Tech

December 9, 2022 12:30 pm

Dr. Joe F. Bozeman III, Georgia Tech

A Path Toward Systemic Equity in Engineering Applications for Transdisciplinary Effect

Dec. 9, 12:30-1:30 pm

Lunch available at 12:00 (registration required)

This talk is co-hosted by the Metropolis Initiative and the High Meadows Environmental Institute.

Talk info:

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. Systemic equity requires the simultaneous and effective administration of resources (i.e., distributive equity), policies (i.e., procedural equity), and addressing the cultural needs of the systematically marginalized (i.e., recognitional equity). To help provide common language and shared understanding for when equity is ineffectively administered, I present ostensible equity (i.e., when resource and policy needs are met, but cultural needs are inadequately met), aspirational equity (i.e., when policy and cultural needs are met, but resources are inadequate), and exploitational equity (i.e., when resource and cultural needs are met, but policies are inadequate). I close by establishing an adaptive 10-step process for developing standard sociodemographic data practices. The systemic equity framework and 10-step process are translatable to other practitioner and research communities. Nevertheless, energy and environmental scientists, in collaboration with transdisciplinary stakeholders, should administer this framework and process urgently.

Speaker bio:

Dr. 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, the Geographical Magazine, and NPR.