The ISSUES Lab is a transdisciplinary research group that applies advanced spatial statistics, geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI), and machine learning to understand how neighborhood environments shape health, safety, and social well-being. By integrating large-scale administrative, environmental, health, and geospatial datasets, we generate evidence that informs public health policy, legal decision-making, and community interventions.
Our mission is to do applied work that impacts social policy by leveraging data and recent advances in spatial and statistical analysis. We are particularly interested in the intersection of the social and physical environment and its impact on child and adolescent well-being broadly defined. This includes adverse childhood experiences, child abuse and neglect, and other experiences of trauma.
We are a multidisciplinary team of scholar-activists from diverse backgrounds with a shared research goal of strengthening families by highlighting their assets while addressing barriers to health. We are united around our passion for improving the lives of children and families.
Our research is grounded in the recognition that where people live fundamentally influences health and opportunity. We investigate how structural and environmental conditions—including neighborhood deprivation, environmental hazards, housing instability, land use, transportation access, climate-related risks, surveillance, and the built environment—contribute to health disparities and involvement with child welfare, healthcare, and the justice system. Using advanced analytical approaches, including Bayesian spatial modeling, multilevel modeling, spatial epidemiology, geospatial machine learning, and foundation models for satellite imagery, we identify geographic patterns of risk and resilience across communities.
Our work spans environmental justice, housing justice, child and family well-being, injury and violence prevention, mental health, and climate-related health inequities. We translate complex spatial data into actionable evidence for policymakers, public health practitioners, attorneys, judges, and community organizations, developing data-driven strategies that promote healthier, safer, and more equitable communities.
Language is important. We no longer use terms that dehumanize individuals, families, and communities. This means that:
Instead, our work focuses on highlighting community assets, structural factors, and neighborhood-level solutions.
Our group follows the 4Cs philosophy to guide our day-to-day research, mentorship, and engagement:
The ISSUES Lab is more than a research group—we are a community of scholars who learn from one another, support one another, and work together to conduct rigorous, meaningful research that advances social and environmental justice.
Our shared goal is to produce impactful science while creating an environment where people enjoy coming to work, feel supported, and continue to grow as researchers and as people. Research can be demanding, but it should also be rewarding. We believe that our health, well-being, families, and relationships are more important than any publication or grant. We strive to work hard, have fun, celebrate successes, and support one another through challenges.
Every member of the ISSUES Lab contributes to the culture we create together. We are committed to:
We recognize that disagreements and mistakes are a normal part of research. What matters is how we respond—with openness, professionalism, and a commitment to finding solutions together.
Collaboration depends on trust, transparency, and open communication.
When we collaborate on a project:
When someone develops an original research idea, that person leads the project. They establish the vision, coordinate the work, and make authorship decisions after thoughtful discussion with collaborators. These expectations apply equally to everyone in the lab.
We recognize that not everyone has the same role within the lab.
Faculty members have formal mentoring responsibilities to dissertation advisees, committee students, graduate research assistants, and other trainees. As a result, opportunities, mentoring time, and project priorities may differ depending on these responsibilities.
These differences are not a reflection of anyone’s value or potential. Rather, they reflect the commitments that accompany different roles and ensure that everyone receives the mentorship they have been promised.
At the same time, we are committed to helping every member of the lab develop their own ideas, build collaborations, publish their work, and achieve their professional goals.
Members participate in the ISSUES Lab in different capacities, including volunteers, students earning course credit, graduate research assistants, dissertation students, and collaborators.
Different roles naturally involve different expectations, responsibilities, and levels of commitment.
One expectation, however, is shared by everyone: participation.
We ask each member to attend lab meetings whenever possible, communicate when conflicts arise, remain engaged in collaborative activities, and contribute positively to the community.
Healthy research communities depend on honest and respectful communication.
When concerns arise, we encourage one another to:
Developing these communication skills is an important part of becoming a successful researcher and colleague.
Every accomplishment strengthens our community.
We celebrate publications, presentations, grants, fellowships, awards, successful defenses, new skills, and personal milestones. We recognize that every project benefits from different forms of expertise, including writing, programming, GIS, statistics, data management, visualization, literature reviews, mentoring, organization, and project coordination.
No contribution is insignificant when it advances the work of the team.
We are committed to building a lab where people enjoy coming each week, feel respected, and know they belong.
We believe that great science is built through collaboration, trust, generosity, and mutual respect. We will support one another, communicate openly, celebrate each other’s successes, and approach our work with professionalism, gratitude, and humility.
Together, we will create meaningful research, meaningful relationships, and a community we are proud to be part of.