Data Centers & Communities: Social & Environmental Impacts

Data centers are all over the news, but what are they and how do they impact communities? PhD candidate Rachel A. Young will explore unfolding community responses, infrastructure development, & more.

In this seminar, Rachel will discuss the unfolding community responses to the social and environmental impacts of data centers and digital infrastructure development. The discussion will provide an overview to explore how affected communities are addressing these challenges to our built and natural environments.

Rachel A. Young is a PhD candidate at Loyola University Chicago in the School of Social Work. Her dissertation research examines community responses to digital infrastructure from an environmental justice perspective, examining the interconnectedness among our social, political, environmental, and economic systems. She earned her MSW from the University of Minnesota and has 12+ years of experience across various sectors, including youth workforce development, housing and homelessness among young adults, and technical education (EdTech), in governmental, non-profit, and for-profit settings.

Join us in person at Santori Library or virtually via Zoom here.

This event is part of Aurora on the Fox, a series of programming throughout 2026 centered on the Fox River. Join us as we celebrate, investigate, and connect with our river, each other, and the places we share!

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