Biography
Shalini Vajjhala studies the social impacts of large-scale physical and economic phenomena. Her work focuses on development and environmental projects with a public participation component, such as population resettlement stemming from dam or highway construction, as well as how siting major facilities, such as electric power lines, affects and is influenced by local communities. Her interests are interdisciplinary and policy-focused and lie at the interface between large-scale technical projects and grassroots decision making and communication. As a result, her research brings together the fields of development planning, risk communication, spatial analysis, natural resource management, and judgment and decision making. Shalini has also worked extensively on adapting and integrating participatory mapping methods and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to engage citizen participation.
Her work has taken her all over the globe, from Lesotho, where she mapped mobility and access patterns of isolated villagers, to India, where she studied resettlement issues, to Pittsburgh, where she was engaged in community planning in low-income neighborhoods. Currently, Shalini is interested in environmental justice regulation and its relationship to community-level decision making and risk management.
Shalini holds a Ph.D. in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University. Prior to joining RFF, she worked as an architect and community organizer, focused on developing sustainable communities, and taught design courses in Pittsburgh.
Instructor, Architecture for Children, Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture, 1997-1999.
Architect's Assistant, Kingsland, Scott, Bauer, and Associates, 1997.
Journal Articles
Regulating the Geological Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide
Elizabeth J. Wilson, M. Granger Morgan, Jay Apt, Mark Boner, Christopher Bunting, Mark A. De Figueiredo, Jenny Gode, Carlo C. Jaeger, David W. Keith, Sean T. McCoy, R. Stuart Haszeldine, Melisa F. Pollak, David M. Reiner, Edward S. Rubin, Asbjørn Torvanger, Christina Ulardic, Shalini P. Vajjhala, David G. Victor, Iain W. Wright Environmental Science & Technology | Related Discussion Paper 07-13
Quantifying Siting Difficulty: A Case Study of U.S. Transmission Line Siting Vajjhala, S.P. and P.S. Fischbeck Energy Policy | January 2007 | Vol. 35, Issue 1 | pp. 650-671 | Related Discussion Paper 06-03
Siting Critical Energy Infrastructure: An Overview of Needs and Challenges
Shalini Vajjhala (contributing author) National Commission on Energy Policy | June 12, 2006 Download this Publication
Ground-Truthing: Mapping Mobility and Access in Rural Lesotho
Walker, W.M., S.P. Vajjhala, et. al. World Bank Africa Transport [AFTTR] | August 2005 Download this publication
Critical Electric Power Issues in Pennsylvania: Transmission, Distributed Generation and Continuing Services when the Grid Fails
Apt, J. and M.G. Morgan (Shalini Vajjhala, contributing author) PA Department of Environmental Protection | February 2005 Download this publication
Short Articles, Issue Briefs, and Other Publications
Siting Difficulty and Transmission Investment Shalini P. Vajjhala IAEE Energy Forum | 2nd Quarter 2008 | International Association for Energy Economics | pp. 5-7
Valuing the Ecological Effects of Acidification: Mapping the Extent of Market and Extent of Resource in the Southern Appalachians Shalini P. Vajjhala, Anna Mische John, and David A. Evans Valuation for Environmental Policy: Ecological Benefits | EPA (NCER & NCEE) | Valuation for Environmental Policy: Ecological Benefits | EPA (NCER & NCEE) | 5/28/07 | pp. 109-144 Download this Publication
Where do we put all those windmills? Shalini Vajjhala Denver Post | Guest Commentary | April 2, 2006 | p. 3E
Integrating GIS and Participatory Mapping in Community Development Planning S.P. Vajjhala ESRI International User Conference | ESRI | September 2005 | Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Affairs Track
Notes for Staff: The Energy Policy Act of 2003 Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center (Shalini Vajjhala, contributing author) Comments to the House Energy Committee Staff
Discussion Papers and Working Papers
Unpacking Participation Vajjhala, S.P. and P.S. Fischbeck Carnegie Mellon University Engineering and Public Policy | 2005
Mapping Alternatives: Communicating Neighborhood Priorities, Perceptions, and Preferences Vajjhala, S.P. and P.S. Fischbeck Carnegie Mellon University Engineering and Public Policy | 2005
Defining the 'Backyard': Understanding NIMBY and Public Opposition in Development Planning Vajjhala, S.P. and P.S. Fischbeck Carnegie Mellon Center for the Integrated Study of the Human Dimensions of Global Change | 2004
Selected Presentations
Mapping Global Adaptation Hotspots: Setting Geographic Priorities for Building Resilience to Climate Change Shalini Vajjhala and Yatziri Zepeda Medina Association of American Geographers Annual Conference | AAG | Boston, MA | April 19, 2008
Can We Green the Grid? Linking Transmission and Renewable Energy Policies Shalini Vajjhala, Anthony Paul, Rich Sweeney, and Karen Palmer PURC Annual Conference - The Real Climate Change: Planning and Investing Under Uncertainty | Public Utility Research Center (PURC), University of Florida | Gainsville, FL | February 6, 2008
Long-term Risks and Short-term Regulations: Making the Transition from Enhanced Oil Recovery to Carbon Sequestration Alexander J. Bandza and Shalini P. Vajjhala Society for Risk Analysis Annual Conference | San Antonio, TX | December 12, 2007
From Local Risks to National Regulations: Using Mapping to Evaluate Federal Environmental Justice Programs Shalini P. Vajjhala Society for Risk Analysis Annual Conference | SRA | San Antonio, TX | December 11, 2007
Mapping Environmental Preferences for Ambiguous Natural Resources Shalini Vajjhala Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering - Department Seminar Series | Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD | September 25, 2007
Mapping the Millennium Development Goals: DHS, GIS, and the Transport Sector Wendy Walker and Shalini Vajjhala Urban and Regional Information Systems Association Annual Conference | URISA | Washington, DC | August 22, 2007
Unpacking PPGIS: Evaluating the Role of Mapping in Science and Policy Shalini Vajjhala Urban and Regional Information Systems Association Annual Conference | URISA | Washington, DC | August 21, 2007
Building Community Capacity? Mapping the Scope and Impacts of the EPA Environmental Justice Small Grants Program Shalini Vajjhala Environmental Justice Research Symposium | University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment | Ann Arbor, MI | June 8, 2007 State of Environmental Justice in America | Howard University School of Law | March 31, 2007
Adaptation Wedges: A Framework for Building Population and Ecosystem Resilience to Climate Change Shalini P. Vajjhala, Elizabeth J. Wilson, Ruth Greenspan Bell EcoSummit Ecological Complexity and Sustainability: Challenges and Opportunities for 21st Century Ecology | Ecological Society of America | Beijing, China | May 23, 2007
Valuing the Ecological Effects of Acidification: Defining the Commodity and Eliciting Preferences
Juha Siikamäki, Shalini Vajjhala, Alan Krupnick, Dallas Burtraw, Spencer Banzhaf, David Evans, and Anna Mische John Valuation of Ecological Benefits: Improving the Science Behind Policy Decisions | National Center for Environmental Economics - EPA | Crystal City, VA | April 24, 2007
Mapping Spatial Risks: Using Participatory Mapping and GIS as a Tool for Risk Communication Shalini Vajjhala Society for Risk Analysis Annual Meeting | Baltimore, MD | December 5, 2006
Gender and GIS: Mapping the Social Dimensions of Transport Wendy M. Walker and Shalini P. Vajjhala Society for International Development | Washington, D.C. | November 28, 2006
Siting Difficulty and Renewable Energy Development Shalini Vajjhala INFORMS Annual Meeting | Pittsburgh, PA | November 8, 2006 Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center - November 10, 2006
Participatory Spatial Decision Making Shalini Vajjhala Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability Seminar | University of British Columbia | Vancouver, Canada | September 28, 2006
Ground Truthing: Mapping Mobility and Access in Rural Lesotho Wendy M. Walker and Shalini P. Vajjhala RGS-IBG Annual International Conference 2006 | Royal Geographical Society | London, UK | August 31, 2006
Extending Participation: Do Participatory GIS Maps Communicate? Shalini P. Vajjhala RGS-IBG Annual International Conference 2006 | Royal Geographical Society | London, UK | August 30, 2006
Mapping Gender Dimensions of Mobility and Access: Participatory Transport Planning in Rural Lesotho Wendy M. Walker, Shalini P. Vajjhala, Thasi Phomane, Nonkuleleko Zaly, Senate Moonyane, M. Mokhoro International African Conference on Gender, Transport and Development | South African Department of Transport (DOT), South African National Roads Agency Ltd (SANRAL), and the Gender and Development Unit of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa | August 28, 2006 http://www.gendertransportconf.com/ReadContent.aspx?id=397
Integrating GIS and Participatory Mapping in Community Development Planning S.P. Vajjhala ESRI International User Conference | ESRI | San Diego, CA | July 26, 2005
Participation or Opposition? Drawing the Line in Development Decision-Making S.P. Vajjhala Amsterdam Institute for Global Issues and Development Studies | University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands | October 7, 2003
Metrics for Understanding Transmission Line Siting S.P. Vajjhala Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center | Pittsburgh, PA | March 4, 2003 View presentation slides
Re-inventing GIS: From Information to Communication Shalini Vajjhala The Information Week Conference | Tucson, Arizona | September 11, 2001
Community Mapping: A Strategy for Risk Communication in Resettlement Planning Shalini Vajjhala 10th International Rural Sociology Association Congress | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | August 2, 2000
Awards
Lindbergh Grant. Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation, 2003.
Information Week Fellowship. Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute, 2001.
AIA Honor Award. American Institute of Architects Pittsburgh Chapter, 2000.
Stephen Omer Lee Outstanding Project Award. Engineering and Public Policy, 1999.
Andrew Carnegie Scholarship. Carnegie Mellon University, 1996-2001.
Professional Activities
Affiliate Member, Sloan Industry Studies Program, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation, Technical Grant Review Panel.
World Bank Development Marketplace, Grant Reviewer (2006-2007). EberlyCenter for Teaching Excellence, Graduate Teaching Awards Committee, CarnegieMellonUniversity (2005).
Professional Memberships
Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) Institute for Operations Research and Management (INFORMS)
Society for Risk Analysis (SRA)
Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA)
