Johnelle Lamarque's research has been largely applied and focused on environmental and housing issues in US settings.
Lamarque has worked with commercial fishermen in Louisiana and the Northeast regarding proposed policy changes and coastal development; with EPA-funded community-based organizations regarding communication about lead-based paint hazards; with residents and community groups in New Orleans concerned with housing and neighborhood development; and with a state public health department on tobacco use and regulation. Her PhD research scrutinized coastal gentrification by studying how different groups of people – including commercial clammers, realtors, other business owners, long-time residents and newcomers – valued and used coastal resources in a New Jersey bayshore borough. Currently, she is exploring St. Louis-area organizations addressing environmental problems in urban and suburban settings.