Maryland mapping of pollution, structural racism, and neighborhood health risks
Maryland EJSCREEN 4.0: Integration of Cumulative Impacts, Structural Racism and Discrimination, and Air Quality to Better Visualize and Assess Environmental Health Disparities
This project will combine pollution, neighborhood, and social data to create clearer maps showing which Maryland communities—especially low-income and communities of color—face the highest environmental health risks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Maryland, College Park NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11252006 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team is updating the MD EJSCREEN mapping tool by adding air quality, measures of cumulative chemical and non-chemical stressors, and indicators of structural racism and discrimination. They will link census, environmental monitoring, climate, and infrastructure data at finer geographic scales and produce user-friendly maps and scores. Community partners will help shape which indicators matter locally and provide context so maps reflect lived experience. The goal is a clearer, more equitable picture of where environmental harms and social disadvantages combine over time.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are Maryland residents living in or near low-income neighborhoods and communities of color who are concerned about pollution, climate impacts, or environmental health disparities.
Not a fit: People living outside Maryland or in areas with low environmental burdens are unlikely to see direct benefits from this Maryland-focused project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the tool could help residents, public health officials, and policymakers target clean-up, health services, and resources to neighborhoods that need them most.
How similar studies have performed: Previous tools like CalEnviroScreen and EPA EJSCREEN have been used to prioritize communities but have known gaps, so this project builds on those approaches by adding new social, climate, and cumulative-impact indicators.
Where this research is happening
College Park, United States
- Univ of Maryland, College Park — College Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilson, Sacoby Miguel — Univ of Maryland, College Park
- Study coordinator: Wilson, Sacoby Miguel
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.