Sangyong Cho

Sang Yong Cho is an Assistant Professor in the Landscape Architecture Program at the School of Planning and the founder and director of EPIC Colab. As a researcher and designer, he integrates diverse disciplines through the application of technology, focusing on environmental planning and design to enhance decision making processes.

His research explores the connection between urban environments and health outcomes, with a particular emphasis on air quality monitoring. By utilizing innovative technologies, he examines the relationships between built environment characteristics such as green spaces, urban form, and socio-economic factors and air quality to identify risk factors across various geographies.

In addition, his work emphasizes community engagement and the application of human-centric smart city technologies. This aspect focuses on understanding vulnerabilities in environmental justice neighborhoods in Cincinnati, particularly those at risk from environmental exposures such as air and water pollution.

Professor Cho also collaborates extensively with South Korean agencies and industries to develop tools that evaluate urban resilience. These tools analyze the interdependencies of water, energy, and carbon emissions, employing material flow accounting methodologies to reveal opportunities and address gaps. His work aims to advance near term sustainable development goals while contributing to long term urban sustainability strategies.

DDes: Doctor of Design: Harvard University Graduate School of Design Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2023 (Landscape and Urban Planning)

MLA: Harvard University Graduate School of Design Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2013 (Master of Landscape Architecture)

2019 -2022 Adjunct faculty, Boston Architectural College, Boston, MA

2019 -2020 Teaching Fellow, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, MA

2018 -2019 Landscape Planner, GeoAdaptive, LLC, Boston, MA

2017 - Research Fellow, Ulsan Research Institute, Ulsan, South Korea

2016 -2017 Teaching Fellow, Harvard University Extension School, Cambridge, MA

2023 -2024 Research Associate, Harvard University Graduate School of Design,

Investigators:Cho, S., Waxman, Alan. 2015 -2016 Made in Brownsville Brownsville Health Impact Assessment: Evaluating social Entrepreneurship programs by recognizing and promoting local context. Role:Co-Pi $10,000 Completed Type:Contract

03-01-2021 -06-01-2022 National Research Foundation of Korea Social Determinants of Health for Breast Cancer Survivor through Spatial Modeling using Geographical Information System Role Role:Co-Investigator $62,000 Completed Type:Grant Level:National

12-01-2021 -To Present Center for Environmental Genetics Community Engaged Low-Cost Air Monitoring in Lower Price Hill Role:Co-Investigator Active Type:Grant Level:Local

04-01-2023 -03-01-2024 Center for Clinical & Translational Science & Training Mapping the Unseen Hazards and Assets: A Community Engaged Monitoring of the Lower Mill Creek Urban Watershed Role:PI 5,000 Active Type:Grant Level:Local

05-01-2023 Start-up fund AirTram: Intra-urban Air Monitoring to Characterize Urban Street Canyon Impact on Urban Air Quality Role:PI Active Level:Local

05-01-2023 Start-up fund Cincinnati Air Quality Research Exploratory Study (CARES) Role:PI Level:Local

Peer Reviewed Publications

Orfanos, Y., Cho, S., Pollalis, S. (2016. ) A method for data-driven insights on the nexus of green infrastructure, water system, and the urban environment .Simulation for Architecture and Urban Design, ,

Martin, L., Cho, S., Gertz, S., Chidambaram, S., Butsch Kovacic, M. Engaging community about climate change by enabling citizen scientists to capture local heat island and health data.

Cho, S., Hollstein, L., Aguilar, L., Dwyer, J., & Auffrey, C. (2024. ) Youth Engagement in Water Quality Monitoring: Uncovering Ecosystem Benefits and Challenges.Architecture, , More Information

Kim, H., Cho, S., Shin, S., Lee, S., Kim, H., Kim, H., Srinivasan, S., Subramanian, S.V., Park, Y. (2023. ) Traffic Exposure and Breast Cancer Mortality by Area of Residence: Incorporating Clinical and Socioeconomic Data .IOS PressIOS Press, , More Information

Book Chapter

Cho, S. & Pirokka, M. (2014 ) Motherland 2.0: How Many People Can We Feed? Territorialism .(pp. 100).Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard Graduate School of Design (Co-Author)

Technical Reports

Vargas, J., Cavalcanti, L., Cho, S., Wenhao, W., Yoon, S., Lopez, R. (2018. ) Territorial de Alto Parana: Zone de Frontera .Inter-American Development Bank and GeoAdaptive, LLC,

Kirkwood, N., Benedetto, F., Cho, S. (2017. ) Ulsan Remade: Design Manual .Ulsan Research Institute Report,

Sustainable Communities Division, American Planning Association, Massachusetts Chapter (2017. ) Green Streets Health Impact Assessment .

Cho, S., Waxman, A. (2015. ) Brownsville Health Impact Assessment: Evaluating social Entrepreneurship programs by recognizing and promoting local context .

Lowitt, P., Cho, S., and Angus, N. (2014. ) Devens Health Impact Assessment: Comparing Conventional and Compact Development Regulations .

Invited Presentations

Cho, S. (2017. ) Next Gen Landscape Talks .Central Park ABX Greenbuild installation, Boston, MA. Conference. .

Orfanos, Y., Cho, S. (2016. ) Urban Water System and Green Infrastructure: A Data-Driven Approach .Mystic River Watershed Association, MA.

Orfanos, Y., Cho, S. (2016. ) Urban Water System and Green Infrastructure: A Data- Driven Approach .The Trust for Public Land, Boston, MA.

Orfanos, Y., Cho, S. (2016. ) Urban Water System and Green Infrastructure: A Data- Driven Approach .City of Boston, Boston, MA.

Cho, S. (2015. ) New England Sustainability Network .Environmental Protection Agency, Boston, MA.

Cho, S. (2014. ) Health Impact Assessment for Planners and Designers .Detroit Studio, Lawrence Technological University, Detroit, MI.

Poster Presentations

Cho, S., Srinivasan, S., Seok, H., Kim, D., Subramanian, S.V. (2019. ) Traffic exposure and adult asthma admissions by area of residence: Incorporating clinical and socioeconomic data .American Public Health Association, Philadelphia, PA. . Conference. .

Orfanos, Y., Cho, S., Pollalis, S. (2017. ) Urban Water System and Green Infrastructure: A Data- Driven Approach .Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. . Conference. . Level:University

Orfanos, Y., Cho, S., Pollalis, S. (2016. ) Urban Water System and Green Infrastructure: A Data- Driven Approach .Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. . Conference. . Level:University

Cho, S. (2013. ) Vacant Lot Reuse: A Philadelphia Case Study .International Society of Industrial Ecology, Ulsan, South Korea. . Conference. . Level:International

Kim, H., Cho, S., Park, W., Shin, S (2022. ) Data Integration and Spatial Visualization of Social Determinants of Health in Seoul .Wonju, South Korea. . Conference. . Level:National

Suhi, K., Cho, S. (2024. ) Enhancing Wetland Management in Dhaka City through Remote Sensing and AI: An Assessment of Ecological Vulnerability and Future Planning .American Geophysical Union,

Suhi, K., Cho, S. (2024. ) Integrating Remote Sensing and AI to Balance Natural and Built Environments: Assessing Ecological Vulnerability and Future Planning in Extended Area of Dhaka City .Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure,

Cho, S. (2024. ) Engaging Youth on Urban Water Quality Monitoring. .RC21 Urban and Regional Development,

Cho, S. (2024. ) Engaging Youth on Urban Water Quality Monitoring. .Congress of New Urbanism.,

Lecture

Cho, S. (2021. ) Introduction to Industrial Ecology and Eco-Industrial Park .Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand. Level:University

Cho, S. (2020. ) Urban Water System and Green Infrastructure: A Data-Driven Approach .Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Level:University

Paper Presentations

Orfanos, Y., Cho, S., Pollalis, S. (2016. ) A method for data-driven insights on the nexus of green infrastructure, water system, and the urban environment. The Bartlett School of Architecture, UK. Conference. Level:International

2018 Divisions Council Award Core team member American Planning Association Massachusetts Chapter Status:Recipient Level:State Type:Recognition

2016 Second Prize Orfanos, Y., Cho, S. Water Night, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Status:Recipient Level:University Type:Recognition