Community Engagement and the Sustainability Doughnut: Making a Difference

The Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities strives to promote sustainable communities that are socially just and equitable, environmentally sound and resilient, and economically viable. Shi’s Center for Applied Sustainability Research (CASR) has been working with community non-profits and community stakeholders to make data-driven decisions to address critical issues such as food insecurity, neighborhood change (including gentrification), affordable housing, the impact of historical discrimination, and eviction. Join us to learn more about these initiatives and their impact.

PRESENTER BIOS

Mike Winiski, Director, Center for Applied Sustainability Research, Shi Institute at Furman University

Mike oversees community-based research that informs action. This research has involved a detailed study of gentrification in Greenville, along with other quantitative measures of community-wellbeing. Focus groups held in 11 different communities, at different stages of gentrification, provided additional information about the impact of neighborhood change at a grassroots level. The project involved collaboration with non-profits, residents, and students and faculty from business, computer science, health sciences, sociology, and sustainability sciences. Mike and his team specialize in spatial analysis and data visualization. He holds masters’ degrees in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) / spatial analysis and education. He has taught GIS classes at Furman for the past 10 years.

Catherine Lippert, Post-Baccalaureate Fellow, Project Coordinator and GIS Analyst, Furman University

Catherine Lippert graduated from Furman University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Sustainability Science. She now works full time at Furman University’s Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities in the Center for Applied Sustainability Research as a GIS analyst and project coordinator. In this role, Catherine’s research focuses on food insecurity and housing inequities. In the fall of 2020, she created the Greenville County Food Insecurity Index in partnership with LiveWell Greenville, which predicts which neighborhoods in Greenville County are most at risk of food insecurity. Her other interests include affordable housing and equitable access to resources.

Sam Hayes, Post-Baccalaureate Fellow, Project Coordinator and GIS Analyst, Furman University

Sam Hayes is a recent graduate of Furman University where he earned a bachelor's degree in both History and Politics and International Affairs. In 2020, he joined the team at Furman University’s Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities in their Center for Applied Sustainability Research as a GIS analyst and project coordinator. At the Shi Institute, Hayes’s research focuses on the built environment and the effects of human decisions on minority and low-income communities in Greenville, SC. In the Spring of 2021, Hayes created a map of existing affordable housing in Greenville County and flagged units that are likely to cycle out of affordability. Hayes is currently researching racially restrictive property covenants from the early 20th century.