To: Professor Samantha MacBride
From: Megan Chiu
Date: February 10, 2013
Re: Research Paper Topic Proposal – Air Pollution from Transportation Methods in New York City
For my paper, my overall research question is, how has air pollution in New York City changed as new forms of transportation have emerged and improved? I want to research the development of the modes of transportation in New York City. Specifically, I want to look at the history and increase in use of cars, trains, and buses throughout the city. This will help bring awareness to New Yorkers about how impactful or harmful certain types of transportation are to the environment and bring light to the technological efforts companies and agencies are making to reduce emissions.
My research data will be comprised of statistics directly from different agencies. I will look to the MTA for information on train and bus emissions and commuter statistics. I will look to the New York City Department of Transportation for its “Citywide Congested Corridors Studies” and similar studies for information about vehicular emissions. I want to examine the emission levels from cars over time.
I also want to see if there is any correlation between new “green” movements in transportation technology and overall air pollution levels. Furthermore, I plan to look for government agency reports, primarily from the United States Environmental Protection Agency if they are available, for information on the overall air quality and its relationship to climate change.
Hi Megan
Great topic, you’re off to a good start. Your next step should be to narrow your focus. You have chosen a very large subject to research, and you want to go deep, so I suggest you select a particular mode of transportation, and a particular dimension of change to anchor your inquiry. As I discussed in class, narrowing your inquiry will necessarily bring into it a broad overview of history, issues, background, while keeping your focus and making your research manageable.
In addition, looking at air pollution is great, but I want students to think about climate change adaptation/mitigation in the context of the future of NYC. So add that to your consideration, and the formulation of your research. What kind of transportation systems in the future will advance cc adaptation/mitigation.
Finally, if you want to narrow your topic in the directly of bicycling, you may (you didn’t mention this in your proposal but you may — or may not– end up there). :)
Get back to me with questions as your research progresses.
best
SM
Narrowed topic – How stable and adaptive is the NYC bicycle system? How does it improve public health (air pollution and exercise)? How well does the system mitigate climate change (reduces overall air pollution output from New Yorkers – cleaner air).