Media, Equity, and Electric Vehicles

COURSE DESCRIPTION

We are witnessing a dramatic transformation toward an electrified transportation future.  We will learn about various aspects of this transformation and explore the context in which this revolution is occurring by investigating media coverage of electric vehicles.  We will pay particular attention to issues of equity and environmental justice.  This course is affiliated with the Advancing Sustainability through Powered Infrastructure for Roadway Electrification (ASPIRE) Engineering Research Center funded by the National Science Foundation.  ASPIRE’s goal is to achieve a sustainable and equitable electrified transportation future.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

By the end of the semester, students will gain an understanding of:

• the role and impact of the mass media in the U.S. political context.
• equity and environmental justice, especially in connection to transportation.
• the transformation toward an electrified transportation future.
• the research process from start to finish.

The course was offered in the Honors College at Purdue during Spring 2023.  There were 12 undergraduate students in the course, and 10 of the 12 wrote amazing papers.  Students were from a range of disciplines, including engineering (mechanical, IE, biomedical, aerospace), mechanical engineering technology, physics, communication, chemistry, and biology.