This PhD research focuses on data analytics and ICT support for participatory-based environmental and health research. The candidate will develop tailored digital tools and services to engage citizens and other stakeholders in co-creating knowledge and solutions, analysing the resulting data, and evaluating impacts. The work will involve utilizing citizen science, participatory sensing technologies, and community-based research approaches, alongside designing and implementing supporting ICT infrastructures for data collection, processing, and visualization. To this end, the following specific goals and methodological approaches are integral to this research:
- Design and utilization of citizen-science based sampling campaign using novel sensing technologies to assess individual exposure to environmental stressors (e.g. air pollution) by deploying both indoor and portable personal sensors, along with smart activity trackers and similar smartphone-based tools/platforms for behavioural data collection. The candidate will develop respective protocols and co-design data-gathering tools with stakeholders based on User-Centered Design principles.
- Advanced data capture and fusion: The candidate will develop procedures for harmonizing data from diverse sources—including sensor devices, existing spatial datasets, and questionnaires—to enable comprehensive statistical analysis. The goal is to integrate and process all collected data to accurately characterize the living environment at the individual level.
- Developing interactive tools for visualization, data analysis and decision support system (DSS). Based on the data gathered, the candidate will create tailored interactive online tools to enhance visualization, data analysis, and decision-making, adjusted to the needs and interests of stakeholders involved.
- Application of advanced modelling approaches (e.g., agent-based modelling – ABM) to simulate human exposure to environmental stressors and its impacts on health. The candidate will design and implement a methodology for a participatory-built agent-based model to simulate interactions and behaviour of various stakeholders, based on data obtained through interviews, focus groups, group model building sessions and other participatory techniques.
- Assessment of participatory tools used (e.g. smart sensors, data collection applications, interactive platforms) for their effectiveness and impact in empowering communities to monitor their environments and make informed evidence-based decisions. The candidate will assess how these tools contribute to community engagement, motivation, retention, and knowledge co-creation by collecting feedback from participants using User Experience principles.