Dr. Leanne Archer is a Researcher in the School of Geographical Sciences at the University of Bristol, specializing in hydrology and climate change impacts. Her work focuses on flood risk assessment in Small Island Developing States, extreme rainfall events, and the application of convection-permitting climate models. She collaborates with experts like Prof. Paul Bates and Dr. Jonty Rougier on interdisciplinary projects addressing tropical cyclone hazards and climate adaptation strategies. Her research interests include analyzing flood exposure in vulnerable regions, soil moisture dynamics in urban flooding, and improving global flood forecasts for humanitarian operations. Archer’s publications emphasize the implications of climate change on rainfall-driven disasters, particularly in Puerto Rico and East Africa, using high-resolution climate projections to evaluate future risks under 1.5° C and 2° C warming scenarios. Recent work explores innovations like the Surface Water Ocean Topography Mission for flood modeling and evaluates the suitability of TanDEM-X data for inundation studies in island nations. Her contributions bridge environmental science with policy, aiming to enhance disaster preparedness and resilience in climate-sensitive regions.
Diane E. Austin is a Professor and Director of the School of Anthropology at the University of Arizona. She also serves as a Research Anthropologist at the Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology (BARA). Her work focuses on environmental anthropology, particularly community dynamics in industrial and environmental contexts, with a strong emphasis on social justice and collaborative research. She has over 25 years of experience leading interdisciplinary projects in the U.S., Mexico, and Gulf Coast regions. Austin's research spans diverse areas including Native American communities, U.S.-Mexico border sustainability, Gulf Coast oil industry impacts, and urban food systems in arid regions. She has pioneered long-term partnerships with tribal organizations, federal agencies, and community groups, earning recognition such as the University Distinguished Outreach Professor (2008) and Distinguished Director (2023). Her recent work highlights longitudinal studies on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill's social effects, binational environmental initiatives in Nogales, and community-based approaches to disaster resilience. She coordinates BARA's internship and post-baccalaureate programs, supporting hundreds of students in applied anthropological research. Awards: Partners in Conservation Award (2010), Border Research Partnership Award Finalist (2012) Leadership Roles: Chair of the Good Neighbor Environmental Board, Member of the Gulf Research Program Advisory Board Key Projects: Southern Paiute cultural preservation, Gulf Coast oil industry studies, Nogales reforestation initiatives Austin’s teaching includes courses on ethnographic methods, data analysis, and mixed-methods research. She actively engages in policy advocacy, contributing expert testimony in legal proceedings related to environmental disasters and labor rights.
Dr. Tetsu Hara is a Professor at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography (URI GSO), specializing in Physical Oceanography. With a lifelong fascination for ocean surface waves, his research bridges civil engineering principles with ocean dynamics to study air-sea interactions under extreme conditions like hurricanes. Ph.D., Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1990 M.S., Civil Engineering, University of Tokyo, 1986 B.S., Civil Engineering, University of Tokyo, 1983 Dr. Hara's work focuses on ocean turbulence, wave dynamics, and their role in air-sea energy exchange. He investigates how surface waves influence hurricane intensity predictions, climate modeling, and coastal processes through numerical simulations and field observations. His research emphasizes the importance of sea state (wave height, wind-wave alignment) in determining heat fluxes, drag coefficients, and gas exchange rates critical for climate science. His publications reveal trends in tropical cyclone modeling, Langmuir turbulence, and wave-current interactions. By combining satellite data with computational models, he explores discrepancies between wind strength and wave behavior, advancing understanding of ocean mixing mechanisms that impact climate change predictions. Dr. Hara has received continuous National Science Foundation grants since 2003, including collaborative projects on hurricane modeling (2018-2020), wind-wave turbulence (2015-2020), and storm surge impacts (2016-present). He previously secured funding from the Office of Naval Research (2009-2012) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2016). Mentored 15+ graduate students in hurricane dynamics, wave modeling, and air-sea interaction Co-developed advanced courses on geophysical fluid dynamics and tropical cyclone modeling Collaborates closely with Dr. Isaac Ginis (URI GSO) and Dr. Tobias Kukulka (University of Delaware)
Dr. Anthony Filippi is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Programs at Texas A&M University. His research focuses on remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), and machine learning applied to aquatic and terrestrial environments. He leads the Fluvial-GEOS Lab, studying riverine/floodplain systems using remote sensing and GIS technologies. Educational Background: Ph.D. in Geography, University of South Carolina (2003) M.S. in Geography, University of South Carolina B.A. in Geography, Kansas State University Research Interests: Imaging spectroscopy, hyperspectral remote sensing of rivers and coastal oceans, GIS-based modeling, data fusion, aquatic optics, and machine learning. His work addresses coastal ocean bathymetry estimation, floodplain dynamics, and applications in environmental monitoring, including hazardous waste site tracking and agricultural studies. Recent Research Trends: Recent publications highlight advancements in UAS-based image analysis, LSTM networks for floodplain classification, and environmental policy impacts on forest resources. His work integrates machine learning with remote sensing to improve ecological and geomorphological understanding. Labs/Teams: Director of the Fluvial-GEOS Lab, focusing on remote sensing and GIS applications in riverine environments.
Gustavo J. Bobonis is a Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Toronto, with affiliations at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley (2005) and a B.A. from the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras (2000). He co-directs the Forward Society Lab and is actively involved in research on development, labor, political economy, and economic history. Research Interests: His work focuses on development economics, particularly the impact of public policies on poverty, violence, education, and governance. He employs rigorous empirical methods, including field experiments and quasi-experimental designs, to analyze issues such as intimate partner violence, corruption, clientelism, and human capital accumulation. His research is geographically concentrated in Latin America and Puerto Rico. Recent Research Trends: His recent publications and working papers (2022–2025) demonstrate a strong focus on institutional reform, including anti-corruption audits, domestic violence courts, and education management. He also investigates long-term social impacts of welfare programs and climate adaptation strategies. His interdisciplinary approach bridges economics, public policy, and social science. Scientific Awards: U of T Department of Economics Faculty Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, 2015 John C. Polanyi Prize in Economic Science, 2009 National Academy of Education / Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, 2008 Advising and Grants: While specific student names are not listed, he advises graduate students through the Honours Essay and research workshops. He leads collaborative research projects funded through grants and affiliations with J-PAL and BREAD, often involving large interdisciplinary teams. His work includes randomized evaluations and long-term follow-ups, suggesting sustained funding and research support. Labs and Teams: He co-directs the Forward Society Lab, which likely supports policy-relevant research on social development. He frequently collaborates with economists such as Paul Gertler, Marco Gonzalez-Navarro, Simeon Nichter, and Luis R. Cámara Fuertes. His affiliations with J-PAL and BREAD indicate integration into major global research networks focused on development and poverty alleviation.
John W. van de Lindt is the Harold H. Short Endowed Chair Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado State University and Co-director of the NIST Center of Excellence for Risk-Based Community Resilience Planning. His research develops performance-based engineering frameworks for natural hazards including earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Research integrates physical testing (full-scale shake tables), computational modeling, and field reconnaissance to quantify community resilience. Key areas include: multi-hazard fragility assessment; coupled physical-socio-economic recovery modeling; climate adaptation strategies; and resilient timber structural systems. Recent projects include longitudinal tornado impact studies, earthquake-tsunami risk assessment for coastal communities, and life-cycle analysis of sustainable buildings. Publications document innovations in resilience-informed design, validation of recovery models using disaster reconnaissance, and development of the IN-CORE computational platform for community resilience planning. Research consistently bridges structural engineering with social science for multidisciplinary disaster impact reduction. Awards include ASCE Fellow (2019), Ernest E. Howard Award (2017), and multiple best paper awards. Van de Lindt has led disaster reconnaissance following major US events including the 2021 Midwest tornado outbreak.
Joshua B. Guild is an Associate Professor in the Department of African American Studies at Princeton University. He is also an Associated Faculty member in the Program in Urban Studies and has been involved with the Center for Digital Humanities. His scholarly work bridges historical research with public engagement and digital innovation. His education includes a PhD in History and African American Studies from Yale University and an undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University, where he was a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow. Professor Guild's research centers on 20th- and 21st-century African American social and cultural history, urban history, and the modern African diaspora. His interests include migration, black internationalism, black popular music, and the black radical tradition. He is deeply engaged in the digital humanities and public scholarship, organizing seminars and contributing to podcasts and public exhibitions. The recent publications and projects reflect a strong focus on urban Black communities, transnational migration, and cultural politics. Themes include the Great Migration, postwar New York and London, New Orleans after Katrina, and the Black 1980s. His work combines historical analysis with cultural critique and social justice advocacy. Scientific Awards and Fellowships: Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship Ford Foundation Fellowship Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation Award Charles Warren Center Fellowship (Harvard University) W.E.B. Du Bois Institute Fellow (Harvard University) Professor Guild has advised graduate students through seminars and collaborative projects, though no individual students are named. He has led initiatives supported by institutional grants, particularly in digital humanities and public engagement. His leadership in the 'Black Studies in the Digital Age' seminar and editorial work on the 'Black 1980s' special issue demonstrates his commitment to advancing the field through interdisciplinary collaboration. He is affiliated with the Program in Urban Studies and the Center for Digital Humanities at Princeton, where he contributes to shaping curricula and research directions in African American Studies and digital scholarship.
Jon Miller is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. He holds dual roles as Director of the NJ Coastal Protection Technical Assistance Service and NJ Sea Grant Coastal Processes Specialist. Miller earned a B.E. in Civil Engineering from Stevens (1999), followed by M.S. and Ph.D. in Coastal Engineering from the University of Florida (2001, 2004). His research focuses on coastal hazard mitigation, nature-based solutions, and numerical modeling of coastal systems. Education: - Ph.D. Coastal Engineering, University of Florida (2004) - M.S. Coastal Engineering, University of Florida (2001) - B.E. Civil Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology (1999) Research Interests: Miller's work emphasizes coastal resilience through innovative engineering approaches. Key areas include: - Wave attenuation mechanisms of natural/nature-based features - Climate change impacts on coastal erosion - Living shoreline design and implementation - Sediment management strategies for inlets and beaches - Dune system vulnerability analysis Grants & Awards: - $1M+ funding from NOAA, NSF, and state agencies - 2024 ASCE Educator of the Year Award - 2023 Robert G. Dean Coastal Award - Over 20+ technical reports guiding coastal policy Professional Leadership: - Editorial roles in Shore & Beach and Journal of Coastal Research - Leadership in NJ Coastal Resilience Collaborative - Advisor for 3 Technogenesis Summer Scholars Labs & Projects: - Principal Investigator for SEECPRS disaster response system - Co-developed NJ Living Shorelines Engineering Guidelines - Conducts fieldwork on Hudson River shoreline restoration
Wenrui Huang is a Professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Florida A&M University-Florida State University (FAMU-FSU). He holds a Ph.D. (1993), M.S. (1986), and B.S. (1982) in Civil Engineering from the University of Rhode Island and Hohai University. His research focuses on Coastal & Estuarine Hydrodynamics, Surface Water Quality Modeling, and Neural Network Applications in Hydrology. Professional Affiliations: Licensed Professional Engineer (PE), Chair of the Professional Development Committee at FAMU-FSU. Key Contributions: Published in coastal hazards, hurricane modeling, and storm surge assessment. Edited the book Coastal Hazards (2010). Research emphasizes numerical modeling of extreme events, including tsunami propagation and hurricane-induced wave dynamics. His work integrates computational methods with environmental systems analysis.
Saurabh Amin is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he also serves as the Edmund K. Turner Professor and Undergraduate Officer. He is a Principal Investigator at the Laboratory of Information and Decision Systems and holds affiliations with the Operations Research Center and the Center for Computational Science and Engineering. His educational background includes: B.Tech. 2002, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee M.S. 2004, University of Texas (UT) Austin Ph.D. 2011, University of California (UC) Berkeley Saurabh Amin's research focuses on the design and control of infrastructure systems using game theory and optimization in networks. His work spans three main areas: resilient network control, information systems and incentive design, and optimal resource allocation in large-scale infrastructure systems. By concentrating on critical infrastructure domains including highway transportation, electric power distribution, and urban water networks, his research develops innovative theory and tools to enhance system performance against both stochastic and adversarial disruptions. His approach involves modeling cyber-physical interactions in infrastructures to assess vulnerabilities, developing detection and response tools for failures at various scales, and designing economic incentive schemes that improve aggregate public good while accounting for dependencies and private information among strategic entities. Amin's work bridges mathematical systems theory with practical civil engineering applications, creating a rigorous theoretical foundation for infrastructure resilience that addresses diverse failure mechanisms from natural disasters to deliberate malicious actions. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on decarbonization of energy systems, resilient infrastructure planning under climate uncertainty, optimization methods for complex networked systems, and game-theoretic approaches to sustainable infrastructure management. His work increasingly integrates artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques with traditional control theory to address contemporary challenges in infrastructure resilience and sustainability. The research shows a clear trajectory toward addressing climate change impacts on infrastructure systems while maintaining economic efficiency and operational reliability. Professor Amin has received numerous prestigious awards and honors: Common Ground Excellence in Teaching Award, 2025 HSCC Test-of-Time Award, 2024 MIT CEE, Distinguished Service and Leadership Award, 2023 Samuel M. Seegal Prize (SoE) – inspiring students in pursuing and achieving excellence, 2022 Earll M. Murman for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising, 2022 C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute Research Award, 2020 MIT, Ole Madsen Mentoring Award, 2020 MIT, Energy Initiative Research Award, 2020 National Academy of Engineering, China-America Frontiers of Engineering Symposium speaker, 2019 MIT, Robert N. Noyce Career Development Professor, 2015-2018 Google Faculty Research Award, 2015 National Science Foundation CAREER Award, 2015 Siebel Energy Institute Research Award, 2015 MIT, Solomon Buchsbaum AT&T Research Fund Award, 2012 Professor Amin has been actively involved in significant research projects including the C3.ai DTI project on Causal Reasoning for Real-Time Attack Identification in Cyber-Physical Systems and another on Learning in Routing Games for Sustainable Electromobility. He serves as the chief scientist on multi-institutional NSF grants, including the $9 million Foundations of Resilient Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) project. His teaching portfolio includes courses such as 1.008 Engineering for a Sustainable World, 1.104 Sensing and Intelligent Systems, 1.020 Engineering Sustainability: Analysis and Design, and 1.208 Resilient Networks. As Undergraduate Officer, he plays a key role in shaping the educational experience for civil and environmental engineering students at MIT. Professor Amin leads the Resilient Infrastructure Networks Lab at MIT, where his team develops theoretical foundations and practical tools for infrastructure resilience. The lab focuses on the intersection of control theory, game theory, and optimization applied to cyber-physical infrastructure systems. Current research directions include pandemic-resilient urban mobility and hurricane-resilient smart grid operations, reflecting the lab's commitment to addressing pressing societal challenges through rigorous systems engineering approaches.
Dr. Sanam Aksha is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the School of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida (UCF), affiliated with the National Center for Integrated Coastal Research within the College of Community Innovation and Education. His work bridges natural hazards and societal impacts, emphasizing geospatial analysis and modeling to address disaster resilience and climate adaptation. He holds a Ph.D. in Geospatial and Environmental Analysis from Virginia Tech's Department of Geography, alongside two Master's degrees in Risk and Environmental Hazards, and Environmental Science. Dr. Aksha previously worked at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Nepal, focusing on sustainable development, disaster preparedness, and climate change adaptation from 2009 to 2012. His research explores social vulnerability, equitable disaster recovery, and the intersection of environmental hazards with public health, particularly in marginalized communities. His recent publications highlight inequities in disaster recovery funding, urban resilience strategies, and the application of geospatial tools to assess multi-hazard risks. He advocates for transdisciplinary approaches to build community-centered resilience, integrating policy, technology, and social science insights.
Dr. Samuel Cheng is an Associate Professor at the Gallogly College of Engineering , University of Oklahoma , specializing in Electrical and Computer Engineering . He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University (2004), preceded by M.S. and M.Phil. degrees from the University of Hawaii and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Education: B.S. (University of Hong Kong, 1995), M.Phil. (HKUST, 1997), M.S. (University of Hawaii, 2000), Ph.D. (Texas A&M, 2004) Professional Experience: Senior Research Engineer at Advanced Digital Imaging Research (2004-2005), prior internships at Microsoft Asia and Panasonic Technologies His research focuses on Information Theory , Signal and Image Processing , and Pattern Recognition , with applications in remote sensing, urbanization analysis, and disaster monitoring. His publications span topics including urban impervious surface mapping , nighttime light analysis , and machine learning for environmental data . His work often integrates multi-source datasets (e.g., Landsat, LiDAR, social media) for spatiotemporal modeling. Technical Expertise: Spectral unmixing, machine learning, thermal remote sensing, GIS integration Key Applications: Power outage detection, vegetation-crime correlation, PM2.5 estimation, smart meter data fusion Dr. Cheng holds three US patents in digital watermarking and is affiliated with IEEE, Sigma Xi, and AAAS. His recent articles demonstrate a trend toward leveraging AI for remote sensing challenges and analyzing urbanization impacts on ecosystems.
Bruno Takahashi is the Brandt Endowed Professor of Environmental Communication at Michigan State University, holding a joint appointment in the School of Journalism and AgBioResearch. He serves as Research Director of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism and maintains affiliations with the Health and Risk Communication Center, the Environmental Science and Policy Program, and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at MSU. Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Dr. Takahashi earned his bachelor's degree in communication from Universidad de Lima, followed by M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Environmental Science from SUNY ESF. Bachelor's in Communication, Universidad de Lima, Peru M.S. in Environmental Science, SUNY ESF Ph.D. in Environmental Science (specializing in environmental communication and participatory processes), SUNY ESF Dr. Takahashi's research program focuses on news coverage of environmental issues, environmental journalism practices in Latin America and U.S. Latino media, and identity in science communication. His work emphasizes counter-hegemonic environmental discourses in Latin American contexts, examining complex networks of actors, media, and communication processes embedded in post-colonial and social and environmental justice dynamics. He has conducted extensive field research in Peru, Bolivia, and Puerto Rico, with particular attention to environmental communication during disasters and in Indigenous communities. His recent scholarly output reveals a strong trend toward examining climate change communication through diverse cultural lenses, with significant attention to Latin American perspectives, immigrant experiences in the United States, and identity factors in science communication. His publications frequently address decolonial approaches to environmental communication and the need for more inclusive international scholarship that centers Global South perspectives. Scientific awards and recognitions include: 2024 AEJMC First Place in Latin American Communication Research 2021 Fellow of the Institute for Diverse Leadership, AEJMC 2019 Knudson Latin America Book Prize Multiple top paper awards from ICA and AEJMC conferences Dr. Takahashi actively mentors a diverse research team of Ph.D. students, post-doctoral associates, and MA students, with former students now holding positions at universities including University of Nevada, University of Minnesota, and Emory University. His research is supported by significant grants including a $2.8 million NSF grant for the SciComm Identities Project, funding from the Climate and Land Use Alliance, and multiple State Department and Embassy grants for environmental journalism training in Latin America. He has developed and led education abroad programs to Peru (2018, 2024) and the Netherlands/Belgium (2022), providing experiential learning opportunities for students in environmental communication. As Research Director of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, Dr. Takahashi leads initiatives supporting environmental journalists globally. His current projects include examining environmental discourses in the Peruvian Amazon related to oil spills affecting Indigenous communities, studying decolonial environmental journalism practices in Bolivia and Peru, and co-leading Working Group 5 on Public Engagement and Governance for The Lancet Countdown Latin America, which has generated significant media coverage in outlets like CNN and El País.
Erhan Kutanoglu is an Associate Professor in the Operations Research and Industrial Engineering Graduate Program at The University of Texas at Austin's Cockrell School of Engineering. He joined the faculty in 2002 and received a National Science Foundation Early Career Development Award that year. His research focuses on integrating predictive models with stochastic optimization to address challenges in disaster resilience, humanitarian logistics, and semiconductor manufacturing. Key areas include hurricane mitigation, power grid resilience, and supply chain optimization. Education: PhD in Industrial Engineering from Lehigh University (1999). Research Interests: Applied operations research for manufacturing/service logistics, disaster resilience decision-making, semiconductor cycle time optimization, and inventory modeling. Recent work emphasizes hurricane evacuation planning, flood mitigation for critical infrastructure, and equity considerations in grid resilience. Publications: Over 50 peer-reviewed articles in journals like IEEE Transactions, European Journal of Operational Research, and Annals of Operations Research. Notable work includes models for power grid resilience, patient evacuation strategies, and semiconductor manufacturing efficiency. Awards: NSF CAREER Award (2002), recognized for contributions to service logistics optimization and stochastic modeling. Advising & Grants: Advised graduate students on projects involving hurricane preparedness and semiconductor scheduling. Active in collaborative research with industry partners to streamline manufacturing processes and enhance disaster response systems. Labs/Teams: Engaged with the Cockrell School's infrastructure resilience research groups and interdisciplinary teams addressing climate adaptation challenges.
Laura Fine is a Professor of English and holds the Norma Rose Chair in English at Meredith College. She specializes in literary analysis with a focus on gender, race, and cultural dynamics in American and Southern literature. Her research explores themes such as identity formation, social critique, and narrative structure in works by authors like Harper Lee, Jesmyn Ward, and Bonnie Jo Campbell. She actively contributes to academic conferences and publications, balancing her scholarly work with department leadership and undergraduate education. Dr. Fine earned her B.A. from the University of Minnesota, followed by M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of California at Davis. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes connecting students to literary themes through small-class discussions, fostering critical thinking and effective communication. Her research spans contemporary and classic texts, with publications analyzing gender in modern American fiction, race in Southern Gothic narratives, and postcolonial identity in works like Jhumpa Lahiri’s stories. Recent work includes a chapter on rape culture in Bonnie Jo Campbell’s fiction and re-evaluations of Harper Lee’s legacy. As department head, Fine prioritizes community-building among English majors, faculty, and staff. She has contributed to major reference works like the Encyclopedia Britannica and engages with public discourse through platforms like The Conversation.
