Research project guides for CSUB student researchers
And like Taft, Maricopa lost hills. Sometimes, like I get sent out to Santa Barbara or San Bernardino, and farther than that but mostly just in the central valley.
S: Hmm, so does that require your physical presence to your office every day.
S: Okay? So it seems like you have some schedule flexibility in your work, and you have quite a autonomy where and when you can work.
S: So, so just to clarify, are you working at the private organization or public organization.
S: Okay, so can you walk us through a typical day, including your working hours and outside of your you know, formal working hours.
And then basically keep track of that. And my other 2 coworkers are also helping. And I make sure just that their data is also kind of in line and then handle any emergencies that pop up today. Get phone calls. Oh, we have to go out to see this client. Out in Elk Hills. They need an emergency survey for something or other. And kind of coordinating my other coworkers, and seeing who can join me last minute to go do stuff like that and then everything else that comes with that survey. So sometimes it’s scheduled, sometimes it’s random stuff that pops up, and then hopefully, I get to come home, and you know, go to a yoga class, eat dinner things like that.
S: Hmm! So since you’re doing lots of outdoor activity during the work. You know, working hours, do you try to? You know, stay in indoor after your working hours.
S: So how long have you lived in San Joaquin Valley?
S: Yeah. Did you live in Texas because of your study?
S: How do you feel about air quality in sound hocking Delhi? I think you can compare with Texas as well.
it definitely kind of points out that it’s just. It’s dusty, especially, you know, when they’re harvesting agriculture. It gets very, very, very dusty and very bad, especially in areas where I work. And it’s it’s extremely noticeable.
S: Hmm, so I think you have different worksite you survey. And are there any work site? You think the air quality is? especially good or bad.
S: So there’s a source of you know, source that could impact air quality. So one can be dust. One can be pesticides and dust. And what can I say? Maybe you know, spore. you know, source of the valley fever. So among those sources, which kind of source do you think it’s, you know, serious.
I don’t know which is the worst one. It’s not great. I mean, I’ve had belly fever that’s not good. I’ve had coworkers who had belly fever and and got very, very sick for a very long time. and, you know it keeps popping up. They have more severe cases than I ever had to where they were hospitalized for long periods of time, and they, you know, can’t do the things they used to do. And one of them used to work my job. And she can’t work this job anymore because she can’t really be outside on those poor air quality days. So it heavily affects her. S: So you live in, you know, San Joaquin Valley, including Bakersfield for quite a while. Has your perspective on air quality issues changed during those time.
So we’ve kind of always known. It’s been bad, you know. I know a lot of people growing up who’ve had asthma and a lot of breathing issues. And and so I’m not sure that it’s changed. so much as I’ve kind of always known that it’s not great.
S: I lived in Bakersfield since 2022. But everybody is saying that the year of 2022, and 2023 is quite unusual, because we have so many rain. I could see the rich of the mountain around Bakersfield. Because the air quality was quite good. On the day of we had rain. But looking back, would you say that? You know the air quality in Bakersfield has been improved or getting worse?
S: So you think that since the people in Bakersfield aren’t doing enough, you know actions to improve the air quality issue, do you think that those kind of inaction might, you know, influence your perception about the air quality.
S: Okay, we’ll talk more about that in the later section. But I have gave that question because it might be related to the current question, okay, so in what ways do air quality conditions affect your daily activities?
S: Yeah, I think that really answered my question other than that. Do you have any specific examples that air quote? You know, kind of not critical air quality issue. But just, you know the air quality issue that, could, you know, occur daily could impact your work activities. Not like, you know, the ash from the fire.
S: Yep, yeah. I, like, 10 years ago, I was a engineer, building a factory line in hyundai motors. And we also had a those kind of safety, you know, protocol. But for the work, efficiency, and for to, you know, complete my task early. I occasionally neglect those kind of safety protocols.
S: So have you ever done that before? So even though Aqi is so high. But you know, you need, you just wanted to finish today.
So that I’ve definitely gotten push back for calling a survey when they wanted us to complete it. But this was when ash was literally falling from the sky. So it was one of those where I was trying to protect my crew, who was uncomfortable with with proceeding with the survey. So it was kind of an ex extreme situation. But I try not to. I think in this line of work everything in this is an emergency, and it’s really not. It’s the client saying it’s an emergency. And I understand, like the fiscal value. And and you know, they gotta make their money and everything, and then every I’ve just heard. It’s an emergency so many times from whatever oil company, energy company whatever. And I understand that. But at a certain point, I’m not going to put myself or someone else at risk for a company that isn’t going to. It’s they’re putting more value on the money than they are on their people, and I’m trying to be the person that’s protecting people. If that makes sense. So I try not to. If it’s just hot. I’ll push myself if it’s just this or that, but when it comes to safety I try not to do any of that.
S: I think. you said you would like to, you know. You know. Keep the safety protocol. But is that is that because you are in the, you know, manager level. Because and you have much power compared to the other employees.
S: Okay, I think you are. You are a good manager, because your subordinators wanted to rebuild their, you know concerns to to you. Have you noticed that the people around you are affected by air, quality.
But because of that, you know, on days when it is worth the air quality is worse. They are more affected than maybe, like I would be especially if they’ve had more severe cases. So it does like it definitely. It does affect them. And that’s something that we always kind of have to keep an eye out for.
S: How do you feel? When your colleagues had health issue because of the air quality.
But that ends up happening a lot.
S: Yeah, how comfortable are people in your workplace talking about air quality concerns.
S: Okay, I check Aqi quite frequently, maybe 10 or 15 times a day. But oftentimes I feel like there’s there are some huge discrepancy between Aqi score and the and actually the thing that I’m experiencing right now. Ever felt something a similar experience like me.
Can you remind me what the question was?
S: Oh, so discrepancy between your own evaluation of air, quality and Aqi.
S: Yeah, in that case, when you see such a, you know huge discrepancy. Do you try to follow your own evaluation of the air quality rather than the you know. Air Aqi score.
S: Have you ever felt, you know? You know, discomfort. When your manager or client wanted you to continue to work. even though your own evaluation of the air quality is not good.
But I mean, luckily. And at this point in my career I was kind of able to turn it around on them a little bit and say, like, okay. So in this situation I would like you to tell me that it was safe enough for us to proceed with the survey when there’s ash falling from the sky, and no one is comfortable surveying, and just kind of. because they won’t say that they know it’s unsafe, and they won’t put that into words. They won’t put that into writing. It’s like either you agree with me or you don’t, and if you disagree, tell me why you disagree with my call, and I will. Okay. you know we’ll go from there. But yeah, now that I’m in the position to leverage, you know. My! You know where I am in my career. It is nice to be able to kind of push back. But not a lot of people get to do that, and I’ve definitely been put put in situations where I didn’t feel comfortable doing that either. S: Have you ever shared your personal or family concerns or issues related to air quality with your colleagues?
S: Yes, or your family members concerns about air quality issues like, you know, respiratory disease from my mom or dad. have you ever shared those kind of issue with your colleagues.
S: Just their difficulties. So, for example, I can just say to Dr. Lee that I went to hospital because of my mom’s, you know, asthma. I’m busy quite. I’m busy today. So in that way I can disclose that I have family concerns related to air quality.
S: So it’s quite normal to share how you guys can overcome air quality issues and symptoms.
S: Okay. How about new employees? So they might. How do you pick new employees? Are they originally from, you know, Bakersfield? Or are there any new employees from other region where they don’t know about belly fever?
S: Okay, okay. I think that’s a really good, you know. Training that. You know, general companies in Bakersfield does not do.
S: Yeah. When I came 1st came to Bakersfield I was actually preparing for La Martha. I just ran, ran, and I didn’t know about the belly fever, but. When I attended church, Deacon said, I need to worry about the valley fever, so don’t walk outside when the bushes are, you know, moving around. But actually, it needs, like almost 2 months in order to hear that information.
S: Actually, our research goal is not about improving. You know, air quality. Our research goal is to make people realize the sensitivity to the air quality issues are different across people. And because of that discrepancy on the sensitivity there could be some, you know, relationship, dissatisfaction between people, and they do not disclose their genuine concerns with others. So actually, so, I will have more questions around it. So sometimes people feel a sense of connection with each other’s if they face common challenges like hurricane Katrina, that detrigged all the things around that city, and that makes some bond among the people. Now, I think you know air quality in Bakersfield that could have similar positive impact to the people in Bakersfield. So when you learn that others share similar environmental concerns. how do you feel about that?
S: Yeah. I. I believe that your colleagues in your organization might quite align with your perspective on air quality issue. But how about others outside of your organization.
but where the difference comes is like how to make it better. And that’s when people start to get a little, you know, weird about it. But it’s an ongoing joke, I think, is that the air quality has always been terrible here, so. I think that’s some common ground.
S: Do you think that our community can improve air quality here.
S: So what kind of you know, Attitude or motivation each individuals in Bakersfield need to have in order to improve air quality. Do you have any suggestion?
And maybe they just don’t think it’s something that can change so I don’t know, but I think that collective action is probably the most powerful thing that people can do.
S: As I said before, you know, sensitivity on air quality issues might quite different from others. So have you ever felt isolated, due to air quality issues or air health related to air, quality.
S: Okay, quite interesting, even though in your organization, where people is quite knowledgeable about the air quality and also the negative impact of air quality. Even there. There are some variance in their sensitivity to the air. Quality issues.
Yeah, I don’t know what it is. They understand that even if they’ve had valley fever, they know what it is hopefully, and they know what it’s about, but they don’t always have the. I guess I don’t know if it’s compassion or just, I don’t know just oh, this person has something that makes them more sensitive to air quality, and they shouldn’t put their body on the line to get work done, and they should maybe value their health more. So I think it’s a lot of the old school thinking of like. yeah, it sucks, but do it. So I don’t know. I feel like it’s it’s a little generational, but it can be just get it done. You know that kind of like thought.
S: Yeah, I I totally understand. I usually the old generation. They are struggle with with the hunger itself. They just wanted to survive. Now our new generation including me. Maybe we are not struggling for this survival. So so I think old generation have some kind of complaint over, you know, young generation.
I don’t care, fire me like I know what I’m worth, you know, like that kind of attitude, and and my parents are like I would never have ever felt that way. I was so scared to get fired all the time. And like, it’s like, yeah. So was I, until I got to a certain level. And and you know, you just kind of like, I definitely paid my dues, and I worked really hard, and I got taken advantage of at work a lot, and did a lot of things that were very unsafe just to get it done, so that you know I could keep my job or get ahead or whatever. And at a certain point I was just like. Nope, so yeah, it is. We laugh about the generational difference, though.
S: Have you ever felt like you are the only one worried about the air quality while others seem unbothered? Can you just look over your past work experiences throughout the years. Now I think you will have more autonomy as you became more experienced. But I’m just curious. When you’re you are with a less tenure.
S: Have you ever felt like you’re the only one worried about the air quality? Well, others seem unbothered, you know. Might not unbother with the air quality.
I’ve never felt like I was the only one. But you know a lot of people just felt uncomfortable speaking up about it.
S: Because it is related to their job stability.
S: In that situation it might not be easy to reveal to other people that I’m concerned with the air quality, because I might be the one who could be affected.
H: I have a follow up question to that. Has that ever been so? Just to be straight straight. Has that ever been used by other people in a negative way? You know, kind of using that person’s concern? Politically, I guess you can say. Has that ever have you seen that ever in your in your workplace.
H: I mean, as with any other normal person, you would feel really bad in that situation, right. And I think this has happened to some of our interviewees that interviewed recently that these, this information, this that you kind of exposed to other people has been used in a way. Yeah. not so much decide and not not benefit, not beneficial to the organization, I mean, or department. or relationships in general, right? But it happens right? I mean. I’m glad that it hasn’t happened in your current organization yet. I mean, at least right.
H: Lack of psychological safety in your workplace is.
But it’s just that’s the kind of workplace that where my mindset always is. So I think that’s why I try to kind of step up for people when I can, because I was working in somewhere like that for a very long time. So yeah.
H: lucky to have you right and lucky to have someone in that position actually taking looking after I mean their employees right or their subordinates right? I mean. But in other places you don’t see that as much right.
H: Well, thanks for sharing that. I mean, that’s that’s just something that does come up once in a while. That which is interesting. I mean to us.
S: So? Just curious. So if you were in the, you know workplace where you cannot disclose your vulnerability regarding air quality issues. how does that affect the relationship quality with the colleagues in in your team.
Maybe they don’t feel that way. So there’s high turnover. So yeah.
S: So do you think that people you uses, the case whether they can, you know. share about their air quality issues freely with the people as an indicator that they can, you know, trust, trust the other. So do you think that that subject can be used as an indicator where they can, you know, trust their colleagues.
If she brought that up to somebody and they didn’t care. I, you know Red Flag feel like that’s an easy like, oh, yeah, that’s a concern. You should take care of yourself and let’s figure out how to make this work. So I don’t know for me. Yeah, I think that is, it’s something that would tell you whether or not you could trust somebody and talk to them.
S: Okay, that’s a really valuable point. I think we can use for our model. So after this interview, we will, you know, analyze all the transcript from 43 interviews. You are 41 interview, and I think you’re the one of the top interviewee who brought up a valuable point for us. So I really appreciate that. And I have you seen the my you know, Linkedin posting about this, you know, Linkedin, posting about this interview research.
S: So I created this. I have post, shared the the URL with you, and I create this. You know the the female researcher.
S: With Charter, Pt. But I think it’s quite similar to what you have showed to us. So so I was, quite, you know, quite interested to see the real person from this post
S: Okay, so we will do the daily survey during the fall semester, when there’s a heavy wind, and whether the air quality is not bad. Are there any opportunity we could have survey your employees in your company? Do you think that your manager could? You know. would, you know, support our research.
S: Okay, basically, the subject is how people feel lonely when they kept you know, air quality issues by themselves, and how disclosing this vulnerability of the air quality could actually actually improve their work. Productivity.
S: Okay, great. Thank you very much. Yeah. I think I have to consume all my questions. Dr. Lee, do you have any question.
H: No, I think we’ve covered everything.
S: I hope you have a great day.
Fear of disclosure
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