Climate & Sustainability
Testing Policymaker Understanding of IPCC Graphics
Climate change graphics are too complex for policymakers to grasp. This presents a problem as we rely on policymakers to make well-informed decisions regarding climate action.
Public Exchange partnered with the United Nations Foundation to improve the design of graphics produced by the leading global body on climate, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Health & Wellbeing
Preventing Homelessness With the Arizona Self-Storage Industry
Arizona saw a 23% increase in homelessness between 2020 and 2022. The self-storage industry has become an unexpected front line in this crisis, as many people on the brink of becoming unhoused interact with self-storage facilities in some manner.
Public Exchange assembled a team that includes the Arizona Self-Storage Association, Arizona State University, and USC faculty to run a multi-phase project intended to equip self-storage industry facilities with tools to support employees and connect residents at risk of falling into homelessness with needed resources.
Climate & Sustainability
Reducing Residential Water Use in the Santa Clarita Valley
Severe droughts across California and stringent state mandates require additional effort to conserve limited resources. Though the Santa Clarita community stepped up water conservation in 2015, participation in these programs has sharply decreased since then.
A Public Exchange-coordinated team of USC faculty has developed a messaging and research brief that zeroes in on what motivates residents to conserve and informs the design of Santa Clarita Valley Water programs and its communication strategy to customers.
Climate and Sustainability
A Scientific Plan for Healthier, More Resilient Urban Forests
In order to combat climate change and alleviate extreme heat, Los Angeles is planting thousands of trees. But how does the city know where to plant trees for maximum health improvement in the most vulnerable communities?
By bringing together USC experts from spatial sciences, landscape architecture, and earth sciences with the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works and local nonprofits, Public Exchange has designed tools and strategies that equitably improve shade tree coverage, support the community, and monitor the effect on local air quality.
Health and Wellbeing
Decreasing Clinician Burnout Through Evidence-Based Approaches
Clinician burnout and job dissatisfaction are among the greatest challenges facing healthcare today. A recent call-to-action from the Office of the Surgeon General states that more than half of health workers report symptoms of burnout, contributing to an alarming exodus in the healthcare workforce.
Public Exchange and researchers from the Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research have teamed up with Keck Medicine of USC’s Care for Caregivers program to test a series of interventions aimed at increasing wellbeing and addressing inefficiencies and dissatisfaction in the healthcare work environment.
Health and Wellbeing
Infrastructure Insights to Combat the Spread of Illicit Materials Online
In the last 15 years, reports of online child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) have surged by 15,000%. This trend is expected to escalate in our increasingly digital lives without proper internet safety measures in place.
In partnership with Thorn, Public Exchange teamed up with an internet networking tech expert to delve into Content Delivery Networks, examining their role in spreading CSAM online.
Health and Wellbeing
Tracking Food and Nutrition Security in Los Angeles County
As of July 2023, 1 million Los Angeles County households were food insecure, including 44% of low-income residents. L.A. County stakeholders working to address this crisis are in need of timely, integrated, actionable data to drive policies, programs, and intervention efforts.
To meet this need, and in partnership with L.A. County, Public Exchange is working with a team of USC and CUNY experts in public health, spatial sciences, and public policy to build a data portal monitoring the food system, food security, and resident health throughout L.A. County.
Climate and Sustainability
Gauging Public Understanding of Climate Change Terminology
The words used to talk about climate change make it hard for the general public to understand. This makes it challenging to encourage people to take action against climate change.
Public Exchange is working with the United Nations Foundation to address this issue. We’ve gathered a team of experts to figure out how we can use simpler words to help everyone understand why climate change matters.