Data By the People, For the People: Building Community-Centered Environmental Research in an Era of Scientific Uncertainty
Environmental data are key to addressing environmental problems, but data production and access is inequitably distributed across society. As the Executive Director of the Open Environmental Data Project, Brittany Janis leads an organization that is working to solve the combined technical and social obstacles facing communities threatened by environmental change.
—Max Czapanskiy, Assistant Teaching Professor, Bren School
ABSTRACT
Environmental data has the power to save lives and transform policy—or it can gather dust on a shelf. In the worst cases, it can even be weaponized against the communities it purports to serve. As the next generation of environmental professionals, you have a pivotal role in shaping how data moves from collection to action.
This seminar explores the full lifecycle of community-centered environmental research: how to build authentic partnerships with communities, design studies that generate actionable insights, and navigate the science-to-policy interface responsibly. Drawing from the Open Environmental Data Project's work, we'll examine what makes research truly impactful versus extractive, and why the answers to "who collects the data," "who owns it," and "who interprets it" matter as much as the data itself.
With federal disinvestment in environmental science accelerating, communities and researchers must forge new models of knowledge production. We'll discuss the growing importance of community science, the fundamentals of open data principles, and practical strategies for ensuring your research serves those most affected by environmental challenges. Whether you're heading into consulting, policy, nonprofit work, or further research, understanding these dynamics is essential for creating change that lasts.
BIO
Brittany Janis is Executive Director of the Open Environmental Data Project (OEDP) and a founding member of the Public Environmental Data Partners (PEDP) coalition. She advances open, equitable environmental data systems that empower communities and inform climate action.
She previously served as Associate Director of the Environment and Natural Resources Program and the Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center, and earlier led its Arctic Initiative. A coalition builder, she co-founded Harvard Alumni for Climate and the Environment and serves on the Women's Environmental Network SF (WEN SF) board and the HKS SF alumni board.