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METRANS
METRANS' mission is to solve transportation problems of large metropolitan regions through interdisciplinary research, education and outreach. In this project, METRANS partnered with the University of Southern California to investigate the commute emissions caused by student transportation, and potential solutions for reducing the GHG emissions.
Overview:
Project type
U.S. Department of Transportation funded research
My role
Research assistant, Data analyst, Focus group moderator
Other teammates
Detlof Von Winterfeldt, principal investigator
Richard S. John, faculty advisor
Timeline
Aug 2022 – Aug 2024
Tasks performed
Cleaned and analyzed USC student commuting survey
Planned, conducted, analyzed focus groups
Developed recommendations to USC policymakers to reduce GHG emissions
Deliverables
Research Questions:
a) What is the estimated GHG emission from USC student commute?
b) What are the motivations behind commute modes, and how can USC incentivize student to switch to greener commute modes?
Research Approach:
University-wide survey (total N = 3000) collecting student commute data. Then focus-groups to understand the "why" behind different commute modes and possible incentives to motivate students to change their commute methods.
Impact:
Provided an estimate of student commute GHG emissions, and offered actionable recommendations to reduce GHG emissions to reach USC’s long-term sustainability goals. USC adopted new sustainability policies based on our recommendations.