Ellen Kersten

Graduate Student

Education

B.A.  Geography and Political Science  UCLA, 2006

Research Interests

GIS, spatial analysis, environmental justice, public health, health disparities

Research Description

I use geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis to evaluate the availability and accessibility of resources that influence health behaviors and outcomes, such as food, recreational resources, and public transportation. I'm also interested in developing improved geospatial methods for evaluating cumulative risks and resources within neighborhoods. Such measures could be useful for planning and policy purposes to identify and collaborate with communities that are overburdened by pollution and have poor access to essential resources. I have worked with the  Our Space Project in Maggi Kelly's lab and continue to explore innovative methods for evaluating the connections between neighborhood environments and public health and the implications for regulatory and policy action.

Selected Publications

Kelly M., Blanchard S.D., Kersten E., Koy K. Terrestrial Remotely Sensed Imagery in Support of Public Health: New Avenues of Research Using Object-Based Image Analysis. Remote Sensing. 2011; 3(11):2321-2345. <http://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/3/11/2321/>.

Kersten, Ellen and Josef Tayag. 2008. “Firebaugh San Joaquin Villas: A Roadmap of the Present and Potential Pathways to Health.” Greenlining Institute. Berkeley,CA.< http://www.greenlining.org/resources/pdfs/SANJOAQUINVILLASHealthImpactReport.pdf>.

Honors and Awards

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowship, 2011

Recent Teaching

233 - Geographic Information Systems for Environmental Science and Management