Part-Time Civic SciTech Trainee

The Pennsylvania State University•University Park, FL

4d•Remote

About The Position

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Science & Technology Policy Program (COPA-STEP), part of the Law, Policy and Engineering Initiative (LPE) in the College of Engineering, is seeking up to four Part-Time Civic SciTech Trainees to work on a project with the City of Allentown. These positions will include working with public servants, city constituents, and city youth in a remote work environment. In 2025, COPA-STEP had a cohort of Civic SciTech Trainees work with the City of Allentown to conduct a landscape analysis of community-driven solutions that could engage underserved populations on heat and air quality data. Through this analysis, along with stakeholder interviews, the Trainees made recommendations that included the use of citizen science to address heat and air quality mapping through community-city collaborations. COPA-STEP is excited to once again partner with the City of Allentown to follow up on these recommendations. Allentown, Easton, and the Lehigh Valley face persistent and well-documented environmental health challenges. Allentown has repeatedly been identified by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America as one of the most challenging places in the country to live with asthma, and the Lehigh Valley consistently receives failing air quality grades from the American Lung Association. The Lehigh Valley’s topography traps pollution and particulate matter, compounded by significant regional freight movement, nearby industrial activity, and transportation corridors. At the same time, both cities are experiencing intensifying urban heat island effects. Highly developed neighborhoods with extensive impervious surfaces such as asphalt, rooftops, and parking lots and limited tree canopy absorb and retain heat, resulting in significantly higher daytime and nighttime temperatures compared to less developed areas. These elevated temperatures worsen air quality, strain infrastructure, and heighten risks of heat-related illness. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency, duration, and intensity of extreme heat events, further compounding these localized disparities. These burdens are not evenly distributed. The neighborhoods experiencing the highest surface temperatures and poorest air quality are predominantly low-income and historically under-resourced. Residents in these communities face disproportionate exposure to extreme heat and pollution while contributing the least to the problem. Heat vulnerability is further intensified by housing conditions, limited green space, and reduced access to cooling resources. Despite experiencing these impacts firsthand, residents often lack access to environmental data that reflects their lived experience. Climate change can feel abstract, technical, or overwhelming, making engagement difficult and reinforcing the perception that solutions are out of reach or determined elsewhere. Without accessible data and the skills to interpret it, communities have limited capacity to advocate effectively for targeted investments and policy change. This project addresses the root cause of both environmental inequity and civic disconnection by building local data literacy and civic capacity. The City of Allentown has partnered with Community Bike Works (CBW), a local community bike shop that provides mentoring, education, and supportive programming for youth in Allentown and Easton, to use portable air quality trackers on community bike rides, allowing Allentown and Easton youth to be at the center of air quality data collection. This project will train youth to measure and analyze data on heat islands and air quality that directly impact their daily lives. With guidance and assistance from the Civic SciTech Trainees and the Cities of Allentown and Easton, these youth will also learn how to translate data into an advocacy tool that can be leveraged to develop community-led solutions to these issues.

Requirements

Exceptional written communication skills.
Exceptional data visualization skills.
Ability to communicate with non-scientific audiences.
Ability to work well independently and in a team environment.
Graduate students are preferred; however, upper-level undergraduate applicants will be considered.
Successful completion of background check(s).

Nice To Haves

Studying or have an interest in environmental science, sustainability, public health, or a related field.
Interest in furthering equitable health outcomes and innovative public engagement techniques.
Experience working with air quality data and/or geographic information systems, or ability and willingness to learn independently.

Responsibilities

Regularly access and review data to ensure consistency and troubleshoot issues.
Provide recommendations to improve data collection.
Analyze collected data to identify patterns, disparities, and priority areas.
Provide guidance to youth to interpret findings, connect results to their lived experiences, and understand implications for public health.
Guide youth to identify specific next steps, including additional data collection or specific programs, projects, or policies for implementation or partnership.
Work with City staff from Allentown and Easton to complete a toolkit outlining project completion, lessons learned, and considerations for future iterations.
Participate in weekly 30-minute meetings.