2023 SEED Grant Research Projects
Pottstown Food System Analysis using Business Computer Science & Public Health Research Methods
- Purpose: Assess the food supply chain in Pottstown, PA to improve healthy food access with 6 census tracts that experience the most diet-related, adverse health conditions
- Rationale: Public health research on food environments adequately identifies barriers to access. Yet, successful interventions that improve affordability, access, and desirability of healthy foods are not plentiful. Methods of food supply chain analysis from business serve to enhance the possibility of identifying key strategies and areas of investment for communities aiming to improve healthy food access.
- Goal(s): To establish a partnership between the School of Business, the College of Population Health and the Pottstown Area Food collaborative that leads to (1) an assessment of neighborhood food environment of 6 census tracts within the city that experience the most health adverse outcomes related to diet and (2) to test models, including those using artificial intelligence to identify the key factors that impact the distribution and consumption of local produce and animal products, with a focus on increasing access to affordable, healthy food access for those living in the 6 census tracts.
- Project Implementation and Project Deliverables: Oct 2023-June 2024;
- Deliverables: Food Environment Analysis, Qualitative Analysis of Interviews and Quanitative Analysis of Surveys, AI Model Building, Final Report to PAFC, Meeting with Stakeholders, Conference Submission
- Potential funders upon completion: USDA, Kynett Foundation, Kresge, Lumpkin Family Foundation, or the American Heart Association
Project Collaborators
- Katie DiSantis, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor
Public Health - Les Sztandera
Professor of Computer Information Systems
Computational intelligence
Kanbar College of Design, Engineering, and Commerce
School of Business