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Introduction: Without community-based, data-aggregation tools, timely and meaningful local input into brownfield management is not tenable, as relevant data are dispersed and often incomplete. in response, this project lays the groundwork through which constructive dialogue between community members and local officials can be facilitated.Materials and methods: a Brownfield engagement tool (Bet) is envisioned as a means by which non-experts can use disparately held open data streams to collect, analyse, and visualise brownfield site data, better understand aggregate health risks, and provide direct input into remediation and redevelopment decisions. By raising awareness and providing knowledge about brownfield related issues, the Bet is intended as a means to encourage community member participation in public debate. this concept is demonstrated for a 113-hectare Brooklyn, New York neighbourhood with a long history of industrial and mixed-use development resulting in 18 brownfields. the proposed remediation prioritization strategy offers a systematic analysis of the sites’ size, contaminants, and proximity to gathering spots and demographics.Results: the Bet proposed in this paper offers a novel approach for community-based management of brownfields done at the census tract level and based on factors that most affect the local community. By combining publicly-available, municipal, state, and federal data in the Bet, a set of easy-to-understand metrics can be generated through which a community can compare and rank existing brownfields to prioritize future interventions and can be used as a support system for raising funding and investments to address neighbourhood issues. this type of approach is the first of its kind with respect to brownfield redevelopment. 

Unlike aboveground utility systems, for which very detailed and accurate information exists, there is generally a dearth of good-quality data about underground utility infrastructures that provide vital services. To identify key strategies to improve the resilience of these underground systems, this paper presents mechanisms for successful engagement and collaboration among stakeholders and shared cross-sector system vulnerability concerns (including data availability) based on the innova- tive use of focus groups. Outputs from two virtual focus groups were used to obtain information from New York City area utilities and other stakeholders affected by underground infrastructure. There was strong agreement among participants that (1) a trusted agency in New York City government should manage a detailed map of underground infrastructure that would allow stakeholders to securely access appropriate information about underground systems on a need-to-know basis; (2) environmental risk factors, such as infrastructure age and condition, as well as location should be included; and (3) improved mechanisms for collaboration and sharing information are needed, especially during non-emergency situations. Stakeholders also highlighted the need for a regularly updated central database of relevant contacts at key organizations, since institutions often have a high employee turnover rate, which creates knowledge loss. The focus group script developed as part of this research was designed to be transferable to other cities to assess data needs and potential obstacles to stakeholder collabora- tion in the areas of underground infrastructure mapping and modeling. 

This paper proposes a flood risk visualization method that is (1) readily transferable (2) hyperlocal, (3) computationally inexpensive, and (4) geometrically accurate. This proposal is for risk communication, to provide high-resolution, three-dimensional flood visualization at the sub-meter level. The method couples a laser scanning point cloud with algorithms that produce textured floodwaters, achieved through compounding multiple sine functions in a graphics shader. This hyper-local approach to visualization is enhanced by the ability to portray changes in (i) watercolor, (ii) texture, and (iii) motion (including dynamic heights) for various flood prediction scenarios. Through decoupling physics-based predictions from the visualization, a dynamic, flood risk viewer was produced with modest processing resources involving only a single, quad-core processor with a frequency around 4.30 GHz and with no graphics card. The system offers several major advantages. (1) The approach enables its use on a browser or with inexpensive, virtual reality hardware and, thus, promotes local dissemination for flood risk communication, planning, and mitigation. (2) The approach can be used for any scenario where water interfaces with the built environment, including inside of pipes. (3) When tested for a coastal inundation scenario from a hurricane, 92% of the neighborhood participants found it to be more effective in communicating flood risk than traditional 2D mapping flood warnings provided by governmental authorities. 

This paper investigates the tools and practices used by Orientation and Mobility (O&M) specialists in instructing people who are blind or have low vision in concepts, skills, and techniques for safe and independent travel. Based on interviews with experienced instructors who practice in different O&M settings we find that a shortage of qualified specialists and restrictions on in-person activities during COVID-19 has accelerated interest in remote instruction and assessment, while widespread adoption of smartphones with accessibility support has driven interest in assistive apps. This presents both opportunities and challenges for a practice that is traditionally conducted in-person and assessed through qualitative observations. In response we identify multiple opportunities for HCI research in service of O&M, including: supporting a 'physician's assistant' model of remote O&M instruction and assessment, matching O&M instructors' clients with guide dogs, highlighting clients' progress towards O&M goals, and collaboratively planning routes and monitoring clients' independent travel progress. 

In the United States, only few undergraduate curricula for computing-related field majors have an entire course dedicated to requirements engineering (RE). Usually, these are the bachelors of science in software engineering (BS SWE), while bachelors of science in computer science (BS CS) cover the topic during an overview course on software engineering, and dedicate only a couple of weeks to RE. Recent studies have shown that companies have specific demands for the competences that requirements engineers should have, and often such competences, such as analytical thinking and communication skills, are not sufficiently covered by RE textbooks and courses. However, no systematic analysis has been performed on the actual content of RE-related courses. In this paper, we survey what is taught in academia in RE-related courses. Our analysis is based on the data collected from more than 40 universities in the United States that offer a BS SWE. We show potential misalignments between what is offered by courses and industry needs, and we propose a research plan to further investigate this situation and to develop possible remedies for it.