Browsing by Author "Seo, Hye-Jeong"
Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Alleghany Highlands: Regional Lodging Needs Assessment 2022Nagorniuk, Anna; Posthumus, Ashley; Seo, Hye-Jeong (Virginia Tech, 2022-09)The Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement, in partnership with the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce, conducted a regional lodging needs assessment to analyze current trends, challenges, opportunities, and demand opportunities for additional lodging in the region. VT CECE collected quantitative data on industry trends, visitor characteristics, travel trends, and more to better understand trends impacting the region’s lodging industry. VT CECE also gathered input from over 20 regional stakeholders to assess current conditions, needs, and opportunities for lodging in the region.
- Assessing the Impacts of Ability One at MelwoodLyon-Hill, Sarah; Mohammed, Afroze; Nagle, Lara; Moore, David; Seo, Hye-Jeong; Ulakey, Allison (Virginia Tech, 2022)In 2021, the nonprofit Melwood contracted with the Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement and the Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance (VTIPG) to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of their AbilityOne program. The goal was to assess the true cost of Melwood’s AbilityOne program to the federal government and understand the broader benefits of this socio-economic program. The AbilityOne Program, administered by an independent federal agency, facilitates the employment of people who are blind or have significant disabilities so they may achieve their maximum employment potential.
- Environmental Risks, the Leverage of Scientific Information and Data, and Mediated CommunicationSeo, Hye-Jeong (Virginia Tech, 2024-05-28)This dissertation addresses the complex challenge of communicating knowledge about environmental risks from toxic chemicals. Modern environmental risks are often invisible and technically complex, making the management of these risks highly dependent on data and information. Reliance on risk knowledge necessitates effective dissemination and communication by government agencies, yet the public's engagement with this information remains unclear due to limited real-world studies. This dissertation is comprised of three standalone papers bridging this gap. Each focuses on different aspects of risk knowledge communication using news dialogues as data sources. The first paper investigates the communication of location-specific risk information through a case study of the Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RAAP). Using content analysis and logistic regression, the study examines how scientific information about local environmental issues is presented in news articles and what factors influence its inclusion. Findings highlight the varying capacities among different stakeholder groups to access and utilize scientific information, underscoring the need for governmental and research support for less-resourced groups. The second paper explores chemical-specific risk knowledge, focusing on the environmental risks associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Employing a structural topic model (STM) and multinomial logistic regression, the study assesses the impact of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA)'s Draft Toxicity Assessment for GenX, one of the PFAS chemicals, on news topics. Results indicate that the influence of new risk knowledge on news topics varies depending on community context, with significant impacts observed when communities are ready for governmental action or legislation using the new assessment. The third paper examines the use of the US EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) database in news media. Through exploratory analysis, it reveals how different stakeholders use TRI data to make claims about environmental risks, highlighting that environmental organizations are primary users who often reconstruct TRI data to make it more relevant to the public. This suggests their potential role as intermediaries in risk knowledge communication. This dissertation provides empirical evidence of the limited news coverage of environmental risk knowledge, the dominance of government sources, and the significant role of intermediary groups. The findings suggest policy implications for government agencies and other organizations, highlighting the need to improve the conveyance and communication of risk knowledge. Recommendations include providing more contextual information and training for communities and intermediary groups on interpreting and utilizing risk data and information. These aim to bolster public comprehension and responsiveness to environmental risks, thereby protecting public safety and health.
- Star Theatre Feasibility StudyFerris, William N.; Friedman, Kit; Schwartz, Jason; Seo, Hye-Jeong; Ulaky, Allison (Virginia Tech, 2023-02-28)Graduate assistants with the Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement (CECE) worked with the Town of Stuart, Virginia to conduct a feasibility study regarding purchase and operation of the Historic Star Theatre. First opened in 1947, the Star Theatre screened films and hosted live entertainment, drawing in locals and out-of-town visitors to the historic venue. With the theater newly renovated, the purchase of the historic facility could provide the town with a cultural anchor that would serve as a community-oriented center for concerts, movies, town gatherings, and other events, while simultaneously supporting Stuart’s historic downtown redevelopment effort.