USC’s Office of Research & Innovation (OORI) strives to maximize the support provided to USC faculty in their efforts to obtain federal funding to support various research activities. OORI’s Research Strategy & Development (RSD) subdivision provides more in-depth support in the spirit of this objective, working with faculty members at all stages of the grant application lifecycle to assist with the administrative and strategic conceptualization and submission of USC-led efforts.
As such, we are thrilled to announce the recent award made by the Health Effects Institute (HEI) to support a USC-led proposal, entitled Impacts of Zero-Emission Truck Regulations on Tailpipe and Non-Tailpipe Air Pollutant Exposures and Health Risks in Southern California Communities. The proposal intends to develop an innovative modeling framework to assess the impact of recently adopted zero-emission truck regulations on health risks in historically marginalized Southern California communities along freight movement corridors. Ultimately, the study will advance community education and research capacity through collaborative partnerships, the development of interactive educational materials, and a data dashboard on goods movement, truck electrification, air quality, and public health.
The study is led by Dr. Jiachen Zhang, Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering, within USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering. Key personnel on the effort include Dr. Rima Habre, Associate Professor of Environmental Health and Spatial Sciences in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine (KSoM) and the Spatial Sciences Institute in Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Dr. Jill Johnston, Associate Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences at KSoM, and Dr. Meredith Franklin, Associate Professor in the Department of Statistical Sciences and School of the Environment at the University of Toronto.
RSD personnel worked closely with Dr. Zhang and her team on this collaborative effort by reviewing content for the proposal, compiling personnel documents, creating graphics, and assisting with budget development. RSD and Dr. Zhang’s team remained engaged in a support-based role through finalization of the submission. Dr. Zhang expressed gratitude, stating, “We are very thankful for the support from RSD, which helped us obtain this highly competitive award, enabling us to advance impactful research in air quality and environmental justice.”
“We are thrilled for Dr. Zhang and her team, and the successful funding of this important study,” said Dr. Steven Moldin, Associate Vice President of Research Strategy & Innovation, “Dr. Zhang and her team are tackling very important topics relevant to the University’s investment in sustainability and improving public health for the broader Southern California, and we wish her the best of luck in her efforts.”
Congratulations to Dr. Jiachen Zhang and her team!