S2:E7: Maryia Bakhtsiyarava: Mapping Climate Risks and Building Healthier Cities

S2:E7: Maryia Bakhtsiyarava: Mapping Climate Risks and Building Healthier Cities

Author: Gevorg Ghazaryan July 11, 2025 Duration: 36:30

In this episode of Talking Environment, host Gevorg Ghazaryan speaks with Dr. Maryia Bakhtsiyarava from Drexel University about how climate change, urban inequality, and health outcomes are deeply connected, and how data can help us respond more justly.

Dr. Bakhtsiyarava explains how environmental exposures like heat and air pollution disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, and how spatial data science and GIS can illuminate patterns of environmental injustice. The episode highlights the role of research institutions in advancing climate equity and what cities can do to protect public health in a warming world.

Tune in to learn how combining science, compassion, and data can create more resilient and equitable communities.


Hosted by Gevorg Ghazaryan, Talking Environment is a series of conversations that grew from the work of the Maqoor Environmental NGO. It brings together a community of dedicated advocates and thinkers who are deeply engaged with the natural world. Rather than presenting lectures, this podcast captures the dynamic exchange of ideas between environmentalists, academics, and specialists from many disciplines. You’ll hear discussions that move from the broad concepts of sustainability and ecological conservation to the urgent, specific realities of climate change and protecting biodiversity. The strength of this podcast lies in its access to genuine experts who offer grounded, often surprising, perspectives on the challenges and solutions shaping our planet. Each episode feels like sitting in on a thoughtful dialogue, where complex topics are broken down with clarity and a shared sense of purpose. For anyone curious about the science, policy, and personal stories behind environmental work, these conversations provide a meaningful and informative listen. Tune in to hear how different voices connect the dots between local action and global impact.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 17

Talking Environment
Podcast Episodes
S1:E6: Simon Richter: Cultural Narratives and Climate Change [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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In this episode of "Talking Environment," host Gevorg Ghazaryan is joined by Professor Simon Richter, the Class of 1965 Endowed Term Professor of German and Dutch literature and culture at the University of Pennsylvania.…
S1:E4: Marilyn Howarth: Insights into Environmental Health Advocacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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S1:E3: Alex Bomstein: Clear Air Chronicles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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In this episode, join host Gevorg Ghazaryan as he sits down with Alex Bomstein, the Executive Director of Clean Air Council in Philadelphia, to discuss the importance of clean air advocacy.As the Executive Director of Cl…
S1:E1: Jon Hawkings: Sustainability With No Borders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:40
Welcome to our first episode! Join our exciting journey with Dr. Jon Hawkings, a biogeochemist at the University of Pennsylvania who's on a mission to unravel the secrets of Earth's melting ice. In this episode, we'll di…