Business & Science Project Summaries
SPRING 2027
Chris Jeffords and Kabindra Shakya
Economics & Geography and the Environment
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
A classroom can look the same at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., while the air students are breathing is very different. This project will examine how indoor air quality changes during Villanova classes and whether those changes are associated with how well students think and learn.
We will monitor two classrooms in two different buildings, one in Bartley Hall and one in Mendel Science Center. Using Airthings and PurpleAir monitors, we will track carbon dioxide, particulate matter, temperature, humidity and volatile organic compounds during class meetings. We will also examine how well ventilated each classroom is, how quickly pollutant levels rise during occupancy, and how long it takes conditions to return to baseline after students leave.
One part of the project is especially interesting because the air left behind by one class can affect the students who come in next. If carbon dioxide and other pollutants remain elevated, the next group may inherit part of the indoor environment created by the previous class. Over several consecutive classes, that stock can build, partially clear, and build again. We want to measure that carryover directly rather than treat each class as if it begins from the same baseline.
Together with the First-Year Match student, we will collect, clean, visualize, and interpret the environmental data. Subject to IRB approval, we will also pair those measurements with short cognitive tasks, course-specific learning questions, and simple subjective measures such as how focused or mentally sharp students feel.
The project brings together environmental economics and environmental science to study exposure, learning and the practical trade-offs involved in improving classroom ventilation. The broader question is simple: if better indoor air improves learning, how much does it help, under what conditions and what would it take to improve it?
We plan to publish the research and use the findings to help inform indoor air quality and ventilation decisions at Villanova and, potentially, other campuses.
The student will work directly with faculty in Economics and Geography and the Environment on a classroom indoor air quality and learning project. The position will combine hands-on data collection with research, analysis, writing, operating air quality instruments, and analyzing additional environmental data.
The student will help set up and run classroom experiments using Airthings and PurpleAir monitors. This will include preparing equipment, recording classroom conditions, tracking the number of students present and documenting changes such as open or closed windows, open or closed doors, and other factors that may affect ventilation and air quality. The student will help organize and clean the resulting data and maintain clear records across class meetings and buildings.
The student will also contribute to the research side of the project by conducting a focused literature review on indoor air quality, ventilation, cognition, and learning. They will help summarize prior studies, identify useful measures, and assist with research design decisions. They will also be a/(the lead) author on the research paper built from this research.
Because the project will eventually involve student participants and learning outcomes, the student will also gain exposure to the IRB process, including research ethics, protocol preparation, and documentation.
As the project develops, the student will assist with data interpretation, creating tables and figures, and early-stage research writing. The goal is for the student to experience the full research process, from classroom data collection and study design through analysis, presentation, and publication. The student will also have opportunities to present the research at Villanova and other research events, helping communicate the project’s methods, findings, and practical implications to broader audiences.
- Strengthen reading, writing, and research skills
- Build statistical analysis and coding skills
- Collect, organize, and manage environmental data
- Design and implement classroom-based experiments
- Apply quantitative methods to real research questions
- Conduct and synthesize an academic literature review
- Gain experience with the IRB and human-subjects research process
- Visualize data and communicate findings clearly
- Contribute to research presentations, scholarly writing, and publication
- Collaborate across Economics and Geography and the Environment