H. Patricia Hynes, Professor
Russ Lopez, Lecturer
Hph @ bu.edu
Rptlopez @ bu.edu

Week Topic Date

SERIES 1: PATTERNS OF URBANIZATION AND HEALTH WEEKS 1-2

1. Introduction to the course themes and structure Jan 16
Introduction to Urban Environmental Health
Syllabus
Course Requirements
Projects
PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
Pre-assignment for January 16: # 1 (Bullard), 2 (O’Meara) in Reader
Reading for 1/23: # 3 (Massey), 4 (Vidler), 5 (Gern) in Reader

2a. Trends in US Urbanization and Cities in the New Millennium Jan 23
2b. Geographic Information Systems

PROJECT TEAM SELECTION

Reading for 1/30: # 6 (Denton), 7 (Polednak) in Reader

SERIES 2: INEQUALITY AND HEALTH WEEKS 3-4

3. Racial Segregation and Health Jan 30

ASSIGNMENT 1: Census Data on the Web (Due February 5)

Reading for 2/6: #8 (Kaplan), #9 (Rafael) in Reader

4. Income Inequality Feb 6
Census Data Assignment Discussion

ASSIGNMENT 1 Census Information nf the Web (DUE February 5)
ASSIGNMENT 2: GIS Distributed (DUE February 19)

SERIES 3: COMMUNITY HEALTH AND HOUSING. WEEKS 5-8

Reading for 2/13: #10 (Matte), 11 (Hynes) in Reader

5. Poor Housing and Poor Health Feb 13

Indoor Air Quality
Public Health in West Broadway and Franklin Hill Housing
Presentation of indoor environment survey results and
discussion of public health interventions

PROJECT UPDATE

Reading for 2/20: # 12 (Institute of Medicine) in Reader

6. The Epidemic of Asthma in Inner Cities Feb 20
Guest Speaker: Kristen Welker-hood

Assignment 2 Discussion
ASSIGNMENT 2: Using GIS (DUE February 19)

Reading for 2/27: #13 (Dumont), #14 (Landrigan), #15 (Lamphear) #16 (Hynes) in Reader

7. Lead pollution and poisoning Feb 27
Lead Safe Yards
Lead Poisoning

PROJECT UPDATE

Project Literature Review Due

Reading for 3/6: #17 (CURP), #18 (Bratt) in reader

8. Affordable Housing: A public health issue. Mar 6
Panel Discussion

SPRING BREAK – NO CLASS ON MAR 13

SERIES 4: LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE AND HEALTH. WEEKS 9-14

Readings for 3/20: # 19 (Lopez), #20 (Pierce), #21 (Lopez) in Reader

Poor Health by Design: The Impact of Sprawl Mar 20

Reading for 3/27: # 22 (Hynes), #23 (Taylor) in Reader

10. Vacant Land, Community Gardens and Food Security Mar 27

Data on extent of vacant land in center cities, public health hazards posed and opportunities for new use.
History of community gardens in US
Slide presentation of four inner-city community garden movements with analysis of social, economic and nutritional benefits
Slide presentation on personal and community benefits of urban horticulture and nearby greenspace.

PROJECT UPDATE

11. Preliminary Project Presentations Apr 3

Readings for 4/10: Web Site to be provided by Rob Schadt.
#24 (Wright) in Reader

12a. Presentation Skills for Teaching and Persuasive Communication Apr 10
Guest Speaker: Rob Schadt
12b. Transportation, the Environment and Social Justice

Reading for 4/17: # 25 (Medoff) #26 (Sklar) in Reader

13. Film: Holding Ground: The Rebirth of Dudley Street Apr 17
Environmental Justice Tour of the Dudley Street Neighborhood/Food Project

Key points of interest include housing (new and old), vacant land and waste dumping in neighborhoods, dominance of waste industry and small auto repair businesses, urban gardens and agriculture.

SERIES 5: FINAL REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS WEEKS 14-16

14. Final Project Presentations Apr 24

15. Final Project Presentations May 1