CJ, the EJ Guy

LinkedIn | cjknoble@gmail.com | Google Scholar

Could we detect the next Flint Water Crisis using Google Search and social media data? Does socially sensed big data actually represent community voices? What role do Data Justice and Critical GIS play in disaster resilience?

About Me

As a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Science and Management, my research harnesses geospatial technologies and big data analytics to answer complex questions like these. I aim to tackle wicked problems in environmental and social contexts, with a critical focus on their impacts on environmental justice and social equity. My research employing novel big data investigations and system-level simulations has been featured in high-impact journals like Remote Sensing and Sustainable Development. In my role as an Adjunct Professor and award-winning Teaching Assistant, I also develop and teach GIS and remote sensing courses, equipping students with the tools to address real-world issues.

With over 600 hours of GIS consultancy experience, I’ve contributed to port emissions inventory reports, federal grant proposals, and social equity impact assessments, helping diverse clients measure and improve their social and environmental impacts. I’ve further shown leadership in sustainability as a U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities Coordinator and through volunteer work with the American and Italian Red Cross.

Technical Skills: ArcGIS Pro [Advanced], R [Advanced], QGIS [Advanced], Stella Architect [Advanced], Python [Intermediate], SQL [Intermediate], Salesforce [Basic]
Research Interests: Environmental Justice (EJ), Simultative Modeling, Data Justice, Big Data, Environmental Policy, Urban Sustainability, Systems Thinking, Critical GIS
Certifications: Remote Pilot of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems [FAA Part 107], GIS Specialization [UC Davis: Coursera], Certificate of Competency in SQL [LearnSQL.com]

Education

Ph.D., Environmental Science and Management (Spring 2025)
Montclair State University
B.A., International Relations (Fall 2019)
Minors, Political Science, Italian, and International Studies
California State University, Chico
Visiting Semester (Spring 2019)
Political Science Sacramento Semester Program
California State University, Sacramento
Study Abroad (Spring 2018)
Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy

Leadership Experience

GIS Consultant; Starcrest LLC & Independent Consultant (July 2022 - Present)

Assess environmental, social, and economic equity impacts of proposed sustainability projects
Automate geospatial analyses to process up to thousands of data points using GIS, Python, and R
Assisted in drafting 7 reports on methodologies, findings, and recommendations for government clients
Contributed to 5 federal grant proposals by quantifying environmental justice impacts of proposed projects
Completed 380+ hours with Starcrest LLC and 220+ hours as an independent consultant for 10+ clients
Provided services to over 10 clients, including Port of New York and New Jersey, Port of London, Urban SDK, autosense AG, Center for Sustainable Energy, and others

Adjunct Professor & Graduate Assistant; Dept. of Earth and Environmental Science, Montclair State University (August 2021 - Present) Adjunct Professor: Introduction to GIS and Remote Sensing (_EAES 210/506)_ Graduate Assistant: Introduction to GIS and Remote Sensing (_EAES 210/506), Advanced GIS and Remote Sensing (EAES 310/510), Planet Earth (EAES 101), Research Methods in Sustainability Science (EAES 390)_

Responsible for developing curriculum, designing labs, and leading lectures for Introductory GIS course consisting of 20+ undergraduate and graduate students
Create course syllabus incorporating engaging in-class activities and real-world spatial analysis exams
Instruct teaching assistant on guiding, aiding, and grading graduate and undergraduate student performance
Led lab sections consisting of hands-on practice with software including ArcGIS Pro, QGIS software, Google Earth Pro, and R
Awarded “Outstanding Teaching Assistant” first year in the role for guiding students with compassion and enthusiasm

Project Manager, Clean Cities Coordinator; Center for Sustainable Energy (April 2020 - August 2021)

For US Department of Energy’s regional Federal Clean Cities Coalition, developed annual project management plan, facilitated charter renewal, and submitted quarterly sustainability reports to federal program managers
For Federal Department of Energy’s Regional Clean Cities Coalition, developed annual project management plan, facilitated charter renewal, and submitted quarterly sustainability reports
Promoted California’s vehicle electrification goals by drafting bi-weekly sustainability policy newsletters, hosting educational webinars, training dealership staff, and connecting industry leaders
Coordinated outreach impact assessment through mystery shopping and statistical analyses
Established, maintained, and tracked relationships with 60+ partner organizations using Salesforce

Research Intern; California Department of Conservation (January 2019 - May 2019)

Identified, tracked, and summarized state legislation relating to land conservation, oil and gas industry regulations, and climate change for department executives
Proposed future statewide climate resilience initiatives based on findings drawn from academic literature review
Furthered community science initiatives by curating presentations and infographics showcasing complex quantitative environmental protection program data
Assisted in processing and vetting development grant proposals’ environmental impact as defined by CEQA regulations

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Yu, D., Knoble C., Fabolude G., Vu. A. (n.d.). Understanding Lead Exposure Through Data and Domain Expertise: Insights from New Jersey with a Geographically Weighted Regression Analysis. [In Review]
Fabolude G., Knoble C., Vu A., Yu D. (n.d.). The Battle Against Lead Exposure: Unveiling Urban Lead Exposure Dynamics Through System Modeling. [In Review]
Vu A., Knoble C., Fabolude G., Yu D. (n.d.). Micromobility in New York City: Historical Development, Current Trends, and Future Directions for Sustainable Urban Transportation. [In Review]
Knoble C., Fabolude G., Vu A., Yu D. (n.d.). Don’t Let Lead Lead on Environmental Justice: Developing a Dynamic System Level Injustice Detection Tool in Newark NJ. [In Review]
Cade R., Yu D., Knoble C., Whyte K., Lal P., Borgerson C. (n.d.). Environmental Justice in Indigenous Communities: The Disproportionate Effects of Environmental Contamination. [In Review]
Fabolude G., Knoble C., Vu A., Yu D. (n.d.). Smart Cities Smart Systems: A Comprehensive Review of System Dynamics Model in Urban Studies in the Big Data Era. [In Review]
Knoble, C.; Fabolude, G.; Vu, A.; Yu, D. From crisis to prevention: mining big data for public health insights during the Flint Water Crisis. Discover Sustainability 2024, 5, 289, doi:10.1007/s43621-024-00514-w.
Fabolude, G., Knoble, C., Vu, A., & Yu, D. (2024). Comprehensive lead exposure vulnerability for New Jersey: Insights from a Multi-Criteria risk assessment and community impact analysis framework. Ecological Indicators, 167, 112585. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.112585
Chien S.-C., Knoble C. (2024). Research of Education for Sustainable Development: Understanding New Emerging Trends and Issues after SDG 4. Journal of Sustainability Research, 6(1), e240006. https://doi.org/10.20900/jsr20240006
Chien S.-C., Knoble C., Krumins J. (2024). Human population density and blue carbon stocks in mangroves soils. 19(3). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad13b6
Knoble C., Yu D. (2023). Bridging the Gap: Analyzing the Relationship between Environmental Justice Awareness on Twitter and Socio-Environmental Factors Using Remote Sensing and Big Data. Remote Sensing, 15(23), 5510. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15235510
Knoble C., Yu D. (2023). Environmental justice: An evolving concept in a dynamic era. Sustainable Development, 31(4), 2091-2108. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2519

Additional Teaching and Research Experience

Student Teacher, Model United Nations; California State University, Chico (August 2016 - April 2019)

Leadership in Model United Nations (EAES 340A/B)
Developed lesson plans, assignments, exams, and lecture slides each semester
Independent of course professor, lectured 30+ person class on debate rhetoric and research methods once a week
Assessed and guided students on research methods, policy brief writing techniques, and public speaking in a debate environment

California’s Sea Level Rise Policies Internship, California Department of Conservation (January 2019 – May 2019)

Assisted Chief Science Advisor by collecting and analyzing emerging academic research and policy initiatives addressing sea level rise in the United States
Synthesized trends and findings in recent research and presented to internal and external stakeholders at quarterly science briefing

International Policy Papers, Model United Nations, California State University, Chico (August 2016 – April 2019)

Analyzed various UN member states’ policies to infer their response to international crises and submitted written policy briefs to international conferences, winning 3 awards for writing excellence
Led 20+ undergraduate students in researching and writing policy briefs to international conferences, winning 15 awards for writing excellence

“Foreign Aid – Bridges and Barriers” Capstone Paper, California State University, Chico (August 2018 – December 2018)

Conducted case studies on the American Red Cross and USAID response to 2010 Haitian earthquake
Reviewed literature assessing the overall effectiveness of international humanitarian aid
Analyzed both quantitative and qualitative data published by aid organizations and academic journals, identifying significant gaps in intended and manifested recovery efforts

“Assessing Impacts at the Alcohol Drug and Education Center” Research Methods, California State University, Chico (December 2016)

Developed in-depth literature review on ethnographic research techniques, particularly in community outreach settings
Collected ethnographic field data through small group sessions and semi-structured interviews

Awards

Outstanding Teaching Assistant, Academic Year 2021-2022 (May 2022)
Montclair State University

Graduation with Highest Distinction in the Major (May 2019)
California State University, Chico

Dean’s List, Academic Years 2015-2019 (August 2015 – May 2019)
California State University, Chico

Policy Position Paper Award, National Model United Nations Conference (April 2017, April 2019)
New York, NY

Outstanding Delegate Award, National Model United Nations Conference (October 2018)
Washington D.C.

Policy Position Paper Award, National Model United Nations Conference (October 2017, October 2018)
Washington D.C.

“Rookie” of the Year Award, University Housing (May 2017)
California State University, Chico

Community Development Award, University Housing (May 2017)
California State University, Chico

Outstanding Delegate Award, Northwestern Model United Nations Conference (November 2016)
Seattle, WA

Policy Position Paper Award, Northwestern Model United Nations Conference (November 2016)
Seattle, WA

For more information, please visit my LinkedIn and ORCID profiles, or download my Professional Resume and Academic CV.