Vera Lourdes

Lourdes Vera is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Department of Environment and Sustainability at the University at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo). She holds a PhD from Northeastern University (2022) and has degrees from CUNY Brooklyn College and Barnard College. Her research focuses on environmental health justice, science and technology studies, and critical race theory, with a strong emphasis on community-based environmental monitoring and data justice. She co-leads the Environmental Data and Governance Initiative (EDGI), developing digital tools for environmental data preservation and advocacy.

Her interdisciplinary work bridges environmental science, sociology, and critical theory. Notable projects include community air quality monitoring near oil and gas facilities and advocacy for open data policies. She has published widely on topics such as hydraulic fracturing chemical transparency, civic science methodologies, and the ethics of environmental data governance.

• Education: PhD in Sociology (Northeastern, 2022), MA (Northeastern, 2017), MAT (CUNY, 2014), BA (Barnard, 2012)
• Key affiliations: EDGI Coordinating Committee, UB Faculty in dual departments
• Research tools: Data visualization, low-cost sensors, participatory methodologies