Community Action for Resilience and Equity (CARE) Lab

About

Established in Fall 2023, the Community Action for Resilience and Equity (CARE) Lab examines how climate change, fiscal stress, and disaster recovery programs influence equity and resilience in vulnerable communities. The Lab’s mission is to bridge research, policy, and practice to advance climate justice and strengthen local adaptive capacity.

In its first two years, the CARE Lab has built a strong record of achievement. The Lab has contributed to securing over $1.1 million in federal and state research funding, including a $500,000 NSF grant led by Dr. He, delivered 12 presentations at national and regional conferences, and published 8 peer-reviewed journal articles and 1 peer-reviewed book chapter by September 2025.

Projects at the CARE Lab investigate how natural and societal hazards—such as sea-level rise, flooding, disasters, pandemics, and systemic inequities—interact with the built environment, governance, and public policy to shape risks, resilience, and equity in historically disadvantaged communities. Student mentorship is central to this mission: the Lab has guided 3 graduate students, supported a full-time Graduate Research Associate, and engaged 6 undergraduate research assistants in hands-on projects involving geospatial analysis, policy evaluation, and community-engaged scholarship.

Visit the CARE Lab website to meet the team.

Selected Student Projects

• Unequal Burdens: Exploring the Intersection of Air Quality, Built Environments, and Health Outcome
• Spatial Distribution of EV Infrastructure and Associations with Rent Affordability in Philadelphia Metropolitan Area
• Local and State Government-Led Climate Action Initiatives in the United States: Progress, Barriers, and Efficacy
• Economic Conditions and Challenges facing Sea-Level Rise in Southern New Jersey and Eastern Shore Maryland Counties

Published Work

Find published works on Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Voq-KhIAAAAJ&hl=en

Interested in joining as a Research Team Member?

Please email your resume, skillsets, and research interests to Dr. Qian He. They are only accepting RA applications from students at Rowan University.