GIS Work Showcased by Students

October 25, 2024

This past summer, the EC 4448 Spatial Econometrics class, taught by Dr. Carsten Lange, covered the basics of ArcGIS Online and then focused on spatial analysis tools and techniques for presenting interactive maps on the Internet. The course was entirely based on ArcGIS Online, and students created groups to share content and foster an effective and productive collaboration. Their work is showcased below so have a look and enjoy some of the work our Broncos are producing!

Interactive Maps and Research Results Developed with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in Summer 2024

School Quality and Housing Prices in LA County
Xavier Padilla, Yousef Al-Salman
School Quality storymap link
There is a positive relationship between top-rated schools and surrounding house prices. R Studio was used to prove the correlation between the two variables. The strongest correlation found was between median household income and home price. A Linear-regression model was established to predict home prices and confirmed the positive relationship between the variables. The model is less accurate in predicting prices for more expensive homes. Variance of residuals are normally distributed. Integrating spatial data through ArcGIS enriched the analysis and showed the application of geographical information systems in real estate data.

Green Spaces in LA County, Ethnicity, and Correlation with Income
Silas Hood, Allysa Santos
Green Spaces storymap link
Los Angeles County residents who live further from downtown LA have more access to parks and green spaces. There is a positive correlation between the median home value and access to parks and greenery. Median household income and park access increases closer to the coast and the foothills. A positive correlation was found between these higher earning areas and a greater white and Asian population. The closer to downtown LA, the higher the population of Hispanics and African Americans, showing a negative correlation to median household incomes and access to parks.

LA County Housing Prices, Income, and Nearest School Quality
Noah Spors, Brian Lazo
LA County storymap link
Home prices are influenced by median household income of neighboring LA County residents and schools. Higher incomes and school ratings are linked to higher home prices. There is some variation to home prices when only looking at income and school ratings. For example, some areas in Long Beach have high home prices and school ratings but lower income.

Los Angeles County’s Housing
Sara Snyder, Erik Seljeseth, Manuel Villalvazo
Los Angeles storymap link
House prices in LA County have risen rapidly over the past decade due to high demand, limited supply, and rising costs. Areas with higher home prices are usually linked with higher employment rates, but some areas with higher house prices were found to have lower employment rates and vice versa. Housing prices don’t always have a positive correlation with employment rates.

Effects of Mortality Rate on Air Quality Index
Bryan Campuzano, Bryant Wu
Effects storymap link
The young adult population is overlooked when considering health risks from environmental hazards. A linear regression model was used to determine such a relationship between air quality and death rates. No significant relationship was found in the young adult population. The long-term effects of poor air quality are likely to show up in older adults. This doesn’t mean that the young adult population is unaffected, rather they don’t show immediate severe illness from poor air quality.

Health Impacts of Fast-Food Restaurants & Parks
Vincent Tran
Health Impacts storymap link
It is believed that high obesity and inactivity levels are related to less access to healthy foods and leisure time for physical activity across counties in California. Although more fast-food restaurants allow easier access to unhealthy foods, higher obesity rates were found in counties with less fast-food restaurants. A greater number of counties revealed a negative correlation with access to parks and obesity rates, yet the correlation was not always persistent. Factors like extreme weather and low-income residents should also be considered.

Hong Kong Story Map
Yongquan Liang, Ryan Zhai
Hong Kong storymap link
Hong Kong is known for its dense population, bustling economy, diversity, and influence in the global financial hub. Urban districts have smaller homes, higher cost of living, higher population density, demand for public infrastructure and services, and a greater single adult population. Suburban and rural districts have larger homes because of lower cost of living, lower population density, and a greater family population. High density areas should focus on infrastructure development and affordable housing policies. Low density areas should focus on connectivity and providing economic opportunities. Moderately dense areas should focus on balanced growth and infrastructure investment. Well-connected Hong Kong universities are vital for entertainment and retail hubs to better student life in various regions.