Alex Conant

This project investigates the ecological footprint of data centers, which are critical infrastructures powering the digital economy but also significant consumers of energy and resources. The Great Lakes—Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario—form the largest freshwater system by surface area on Earth, containing roughly 20% of the world's surface fresh water. Spanning the U.S.–Canada border, these five interconnected lakes cover 94,250 square miles, provide drinking water for over 40 million people, and serve as a vital ecosystem and shipping corridor.

Kumu is a powerful systems mapping visualization tool.

This project investigates the ecological footprint of data centers, which are critical infrastructures powering the digital economy but also significant consumers of energy and resources. The study examines the environmental consequences of data center operations, focusing on energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, electronic waste, and land use.

Canada’s most vulnerable populations are routinely subjected to prolonged trial delays, violence within carceral environments, and formidable obstacles to societal reintegration. These challenges leave their lives in limbo and their futures precariously uncertain.

This project explores the growing dominance of gerontocracy—the rule by older individuals—in the political landscape of the United States. As the average age of American elected officials rises, this study aims to critically examine the implications of aging leadership on democratic vitality, policy innovation, and intergenerational equity.

The project examines how discrimination that is systemic (embedded in policies, practices, structures) or constructive (not direct intent, but creates disadvantages) affects applicants to Canadian law schools.