REU Site: Engineering for Bouncing Back Better — Integrating Resiliency and Engineering Disciplines Through Systems Thinking

Oregon State University, Corvallis OR

Investigators

Abstract

This three-year REU Site: Engineering for Bouncing Back Better—Integrating Resiliency and Engineering Disciplines Through Systems Thinking is hosted by Oregon State University. Natural and anthropogenic stresses and shocks, such as the devastating wildfires in California, the heightened frequency and intensity of hurricanes, exemplified by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, severe drought conditions in Western states, the protracted water contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan, and economic adversities experienced in various urban centers (notably Detroit, Michigan) have triggered communities across the U.S. to consider resiliency in their preparedness and planning activities. There is a critical need for research and education that advances a systems view of resilience – specifically, one that incorporates response, recovery, and mitigation via a multitude of solutions that span infrastructure systems, social institutions, emerging technologies, and stakeholder engagement and capacity-building in communities. This REU Site integrates researchers and ten undergraduate students each year from Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering, and Civil and Construction Engineering on the topic of resilience. The project offers exciting interdisciplinary research opportunities to undergraduates and professional development including graduate school and career explorations. Technical research projects coupled with a suite of REU activities will be offered to advance the science on interdisciplinary methods, tools, and technologies used toward improving the (a) resiliency of infrastructure systems, (b) resiliency of ecosystems and natural resources, (c) capacity for community resilience, and (d) capability for risk and resilience assessment in communities. Participants will employ Systems Thinking skills to solve complex resiliency research problems and increase their motivation to pursue interdisciplinary graduate research. Each undergraduate student will be part of a research team comprised of a primary faculty mentor, faculty collaborators (from multiple socio-technical disciplines), and graduate students. Cohort-building activities include field trips to communities facing unique resiliency challenges, and a movie night focused on community resilience stories. Professional development will be comprised of skill-building workshops and panels, a 10-page project report, and the final REU symposium. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.