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Villanova Professor Investigates Impacts of Hurricanes on Florida Coast

In October 2024, during the height of hurricane season, Hurricanes Milton and Helene swept across the southeastern United States. Their impact on Florida was severe, with damages totaling tens of billions of dollars. While communities in affected states continue to rebuild, a team of researchers mobilized to assess the damage caused in the hopes of better understanding the impacts of hurricane activity in the future. Jonathan Hubler, PhD, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Villanova University, along with Villanova civil engineering graduate student Sarah Burghardt, traveled to Florida with a joint team from the Nearshore Extreme Events Reconnaissance (NEER) Association and the Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) Association to investigate the immediate aftereffects of Hurricanes Milton and Helene. The National Science Foundation-sponsored trip gathered natural hazards research experts and practitioners from across the country, who quickly jumped at the opportunity to examine the impacts of two tropical storms that occurred in quick succession of each other. A few main areas of study were identified by the team so they could hit the ground running once they touched down in Florida. The researchers wanted to focus primarily on the effects of storm surge, waves, sediment erosion and deposition, and debris transport and accumulation from both hurricanes through pre-storm, during-storm, and post-storm data collection. Over 750 miles were covered across just a few days as data was surveyed and collected from Cedar Key, Horseshoe Beach, Venice, Port Charlotte, Port St. Lucie, Vero Beach and other coastal towns. “This was a unique opportunity for our team of scientists because our team collected data before the storms so we will be able to analyze the direct impacts of the storms utilizing the post-storm data that we collected,” said Dr. Hubler. “Although the destruction was difficult to witness firsthand, we are hopeful that our findings will help to mitigate the impact of these major storms in the future.” The data set collected from these storm sites is expected to improve the understanding, prediction, and mitigation of erosion as well as assess the performance of different shoreline protection systems during severe tropical storm events. Findings from the trip will be shared publicly through the NSF’s Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) DesignSafe-CI, a nationwide network tailored for data sharing among the natural hazards engineering research community. Local Florida communities will also be notified of relevant findings to increase awareness and understanding of risk assessments when preparing for tropical storm events. “It was a productive few days spent in Florida as we collected a significant amount of data and covered a lot of ground in a short span of time. I’m grateful to have been included on this research team and that I had the chance to bring one of my students along. This real-world experience in the field will help further her learning as she completes her studies,” said Dr. Hubler. Dr. Hubler traveled with the NEER and GEER team again in November for another data collection effort. Although the 2024 hurricane season has come to a close, researchers like Dr. Hubler continue to study their impact year-round to discover new mitigation strategies for next year’s season.

Georgia Southern’s Institute for Water and Health addresses aging water infrastructure, impact on human health in rural Alabama with pilot project

Researchers at the Institute for Water and Health (IWH) at Georgia Southern University initiated a new project in Marion, Alabama, to address the city’s aging water infrastructure and its impact on human health with a focus on community-based research, workforce development and environmental justice. The pilot project in Marion, Alabama, is a collaborative effort between Georgia Southern and the University of Alabama. IWH Director Asli Aslan, Ph.D., is the principal investigator (PI) and Lacey Huffling, Ph.D., from Georgia Southern’s College of Education, and Lanna Nations, director for education and outreach for the Alabama Water Institute at the University of Alabama, are co-PIs. In partnership with the city of Eastman, Georgia, the project includes an internship program for next-generation water operators and a peer mentorship program for current water managers. Project leaders seek to improve communication and foster trust between local authorities and residents, contributing to long-term environmental health and equitable access to safe drinking water. Aslan sees workforce readiness as a critical component to maintaining standards in water management. “Nationwide, community water systems are managed by specialized professionals to ensure safe water every time we turn on the tap,” noted Aslan. According to her, about 50% of water operators working at these facilities will retire in the next decade, but only 10% are expected to be replaced. Training the next generation of water operators and developing leaders for rural water systems is a matter of national security. “The Institute for Water and Health is committed to launching a regional program to equip future water managers with the necessary skills to ensure safe water for all,” Aslan continued. “This pilot project will lay the foundation for this goal and aims to expand the program throughout the southeastern United States.” The project is funded by Alabama Power and Partnership for Inclusive Innovation, a Georgia-based program that funds and supports networks through resources across businesses, research universities and government entities. To learn more about this project and other IWH research and educational programs visit here. To connect with IWH Director Asli Aslan, simply click on her icon now to arrange an invterview today.

Creating a ripple effect: How one Georgia Southern professor is using community-sourced materials to improve clean water accessibility

Turning on the tap for a drink of clean water may seem like part of an everyday routine for many. Yet, for countless communities—even here in the U.S.—this simple act remains a daily challenge, with each glass or clean drop of water far from guaranteed. One Georgia Southern University professor is working to change that. Thirty percent of the Navajo Nation population lacks access to clean drinking water. Lewis Stetson Rowles, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction in the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing at Georgia Southern University, is working to increase access to clean water for this community and beyond by engaging with locals to understand how materials used in traditional cultural practices can be transformed into life-changing solutions. “My first trip to the Navajo Nation as an undergraduate student was a really eye opening experience for me,” Rowles said. “To realize that there were people within the U.S., in our own backyard, who lacked clean water is what inspired my whole career in research and education.” Establishing trust was an important challenge to overcome for Rowles and his fellow researcher and mentor Navid Saleh, Ph.D., professor of environmental and water resources engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. “Years of uranium mining left the mineral-rich area and the connection with the Navajo community polluted,” Rowles said. “It has been a decade-long effort to build community relationships, understand the issues and develop potential solutions specific to the needs of the Navajo Nation.” Finding solutions specific to local needs and cultures is key to their implementation and success according to Rowles. “We have to work with communities to truly understand the issues and collaboratively develop functional solutions because locals are the people who understand the problems the best,” Rowles said. “I don’t believe that there’s a one-size-fits-all solution. For technologies to really be sustainable, we need to understand if they’re going to work in a specific location, which means we need to develop community-specific solutions.” Working with the community is important for more than just understanding the issue at hand. When thinking about big-ticket issues, like clean water, Rowles said that it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking about large-scale, infrastructure-based solutions. But some of the most immediately effective and impactful solutions happen on a much more intimate level. “Centralized distribution systems take a long time to build, they’re also very costly,” Rowles said. “The need for clean water is dire in many communities, so point-of-use technologies are great because they can be adopted quickly. They also bring power to the people in a way, because technologies can be developed with local materials, like we’re doing here with clay and pinyon resins for ceramic filters. This can create immediate solutions to water contamination issues.” Rowles, who specializes in environmental engineering, worked with members of the Navajo community to discover how the process of creating traditional pottery can help solve the problem of clean drinking water at a local level for families. Deanna Tso, a third-generation Navajo potter, has been integral to this process to ensure that the novel solutions don’t detract from traditional practices. “If you’ve ever climbed a pine tree and gotten sap stuck on your hands, you know it’s very sticky,” Rowles said. “The Navajo people have been using this sap for centuries to waterproof pottery and baskets. Meanwhile, one of the biggest limitations to the use of silver nanoparticles for water treatment is the immobilization of those particles. We used this local resin to coat the nanoparticles, keeping them in place and extending the lifetime of the filters while still allowing them to kill bacteria. It also acts as a really unique barrier that prevents silver poisoning by stopping the silver from interacting with other compounds that would inhibit the dissolution of silver nanoparticles into silver ions which kill bacteria.” By working together to integrate new technologies into existing traditions, Rowles and his partners are one step closer to changing the lives of many in the Navajo Nation. Their hope is that this knowledge will be used to expand access to potable water to more parts of the world. “While we started working with Deanna on a very specific pine tree sap, the more we’ve researched, we’ve seen there are similar pine and conifer trees throughout the continent, even into Mexico, that have been used by indigenous groups for centuries,” Rowles said. “This means that this research has much broader applications across the world, particularly in areas that lack centralized water treatment systems where people go and collect water from distant sources or wells, bring it back to their house, and then treat it at the household level.” The extension of this knowledge begins by sharing it, which is precisely what Rowles’ team has done over the last year. They published their research Integrating Navajo Pottery Techniques To Improve Silver Nanoparticle-Enabled Ceramic Water Filters for Disinfection in October 2023 and shortly thereafter began working with PBS NOVA. Their work will now be shared as part of a documentary series highlighting engineers working to positively change the world. “The Navajo Nation is just one area impacted by lack of access to clean water,” Rowles said. “Around 1.5 million people across the U.S. lack indoor plumbing and many more rely on wells and septic systems that are often aging or failing, leading to sanitation concerns. There are a lot of great organizations and a lot of great research working to address sanitation issues abroad, but I hope this research can open people’s eyes to the fact that this is a local problem, too. Don’t take it for granted that you’re able to turn on the tap and have safe, clean water, because that is not true for a lot of Americans and for much of the world.” You can continue exploring Rowles’ research on an episode of PBS NOVA—Building Stuff: Change It! and by watching the Innovations in Water Treatment with Navid Saleh from Building Stuff: Change It! Twitch episode of Building Stuff with NOVA. If you're interested in learning more or a reporter looking to speak with Stetson Rowles - simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.

Exploring language as an early behavioral marker of Alzheimer's Disease

Professors from the University of Delaware and Carnegie Mellon University will use a $3.7 million RF1 grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to examine language as an early behavioral marker of Alzheimer’s Disease. If successful, this research could pave the way for earlier interventions. “Identifying these individuals as early as possible gets them into preventive treatments sooner,” said Alyssa Lanzi, assistant professor of Communications Sciences & Disorders at UD. The study builds on pilot data gathered by Anna Saylor, a third-year doctoral student in the communication sciences and disorders doctoral program, housed in the UD's College of Health Sciences. “We know a lot about how language develops in childhood but not much about how it changes in older adults,” Saylor said. “Our data suggest subtle language changes might signal future cognitive decline.” To explore these changes on a larger scale, Lanzi is collaborating with MacWhinney, who founded TalkBank, open science database of language samples. Within TalkBank is DementiaBank, a shared database of multimedia interactions for studying communication in dementia. However, DementiaBank is outdated and limited in demographics, and the quality and rigor of the data need improvement. Lanzi is seeking to change that. Her five-year study seeks 300 older adults aged 60-90 nationwide from underrepresented backgrounds or populations vulnerable to health disparities. “Current DementiaBank data is representative of Caucasians of a higher socioeconomic status,” Lanzi said. “We must intentionally recruit people who are at the greatest risk — for example, adults who are Black, Asian, Hispanic, Latin and those living in rural areas.” The recruitment strategy, rooted in community engagement at locations in Wilmington, Delaware, is part of the novelty of Lanzi’s grant. “This is a feasibility study to see if our approach in Wilmington can be replicated in other states,” Lanzi said. Lanzi has also established an advisory committee of nationwide faculty with relevant expertise on specific priority populations. Their input will tailor plans to population needs while data is collected through a central site at UD. The Delaware Center for Cognitive Aging Research (DECCAR) also provides critical infrastructure for the study. “This project is an example of the success of DECCAR, and our impact extends far beyond state lines,” said Lanzi, an executive committee member with DECCAR. Participants selected for the study will participate in a comprehensive cognitive and language testing battery via telehealth, so they don’t have to travel to UD’s campus, which is novel and unique to this study. “To study their language, they’ll see pictures and be asked to describe them and share stories from their past,” Lanzi said. Study participants will receive a gift card for participating and feedback about their memory to share with their healthcare provider. “Building trust and giving back are key elements of our strategy,” Lanzi said. Lanzi is already preparing for the next phase of her research, supported by an additional $800,000 grant from the NIA. This phase will test the effects of an online treatment Lanzi developed for individuals identified as at risk. “If we find that language is an early marker of disease, I want to take this research to the next level and develop treatments that teach strategies to enhance independence and improve the quality of life for those at risk of developing dementia,” she said.

The ISS is Leaking! What Happens Now? Florida Tech's Don Platt Can Explain

There's an issue on the International Space Station (ISS) that is becoming a growing concern for both the Russian and American space programs. The ISS is leaking, and the matter is rightfully getting attention from media around the world. The reporters looking for answers are connecting with Florida Tech's Don Platt to explain what exactly is happening and what it means for the future of this $100 billion facility. Dr. Platt's work has involved developing, testing and flying different types of avionics, communications and rocket propulsion systems. He teaches about space systems. The problem exemplifies how NASA is contending with aging but critical space infrastructure: The orbiting laboratory, with a living area larger than a six-bedroom house, is the agency's only way to learn about health impacts to astronauts, develop or test life support systems for future missions, and advance a plethora of space technologies. NASA wants to keep it running until 2030 — but doing so will require constant surveillance and, literally, patching. "It's an old station, and it has done some amazing things," Don Platt, an associate professor of space systems at Florida Tech, told Mashable. Mashable, Nov. 19 Local television and national networks like NPR were also seeking Platt's expert insights. NASA and Russian space officials are at odds over the significance of a long-standing air leak aboard the International Space Station. The leak, originating from a Russian module, has reportedly persisted for about five years. Don Platt, an associate professor at the Florida Institute of Technology, explained the potential risks. “There’s definitely concerns about this leak and the potential for it to get worse over time,” Platt said. While NASA views the issue as a serious safety concern, Moscow insists the situation is under control and the module is safe. “NASA is quite concerned about it, and the Russians are more or less saying, ‘We have it under control. Don’t worry about it,’” Platt said. The affected module is one of the oldest on the station, having been operational for more than 20 years. “One of the Russian modules on the space station, one of the oldest, is starting to lose some of the air that astronauts need to breathe,” he said.  November 18 - NBC News The coverage featuring Platt's insight is also being carried by Russian media and news sites. Are you following this developing story? Let us help with your coverage. Dr. Don Platt's work has involved developing, testing and flying different types of avionics, communications, rocket propulsion systems as well as astrobiology/biotechnology systems and human deep space exploration tools. Don is available to speak with media. Simply click on the icon below to arrange an interview today.

Enhancing environmental governance in the Caribbean

The University of Delaware's Island Policy Lab has launched a first-of-its kind initiative to ensure that future development projects in the Caribbean are equipped to adapt to climate risks effectively. When completed, this work will set a new benchmark for sustainable development across the region. The research initiative is led by Professor Kalim Shah, Director of the UD Island Policy Lab, with colleagues at the University of the West Indies.  The collaborative effort, which kicked off this month in Barbados, will integrate climate services into Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and bring together key stakeholders from public agencies, academic institutions and private organizations. Funded by NOAA and the U.S. Department of State, the project aims to strengthen environmental governance by embedding scientific climate data into regulatory frameworks.  The work will cover multiple Caribbean islands chosen for their contrasting regulatory frameworks, with the aim of addressing critical gaps in how climate risks are incorporated into EIA processes, which often lack consistent and actionable climate data. On this first Barbados leg, the project has drawn support from the Barbados Meteorological Services, the Ministry of Environment and National Beautification, the Coastal Zone Management Unit and international financial institutions such as the Caribbean Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. Private sector project developers are working alongside regulatory bodies and academic institutions to ensure the success of the initiative. Minister of Planning and Development William Duguid emphasized the importance of the project during the launch event, held at the Savannah Beach Club in Christ Church. “Our very survival as a nation depends on building climate resilience,” Duguid said, highlighting the vulnerability of Barbados’ key infrastructure — such as airports, seaports, and hospitals — located along the coast. He stressed the significance of using climate data in EIA processes to mitigate risks such as sea-level rise and storm surges, which threaten the island’s long-term sustainability. The initiative follows a phased approach, beginning with assessments of the existing institutional frameworks in Barbados, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago, with other countries following in the future. The research team will evaluate how well current climate services align with the needs of both public agencies and private developers. In subsequent phases, stakeholders will participate in co-designing tailored climate tools to enhance EIA processes, leading to the development of Climate Services Implementation Plans. These plans will provide a roadmap for integrating climate services sustainably across sectors and jurisdictions. “This project is about more than just collecting data – it’s about turning scientific insights into practical tools for decision-makers,” Shah explained. The co-design process, which involves collaboration with local stakeholders and international partners, aims to reduce conflicts between regulators and developers by embedding climate considerations early in the project approval process. This alignment will ensure that new developments are both environmentally sound and climate-resilient. The research is expected to deliver several key outcomes, including enhanced coordination among regulatory bodies, improved access to climate data, and greater institutional capacity to manage environmental risks. Dr. Sylvia Donhert, Chief of the Inter-American Development Bank’s Compete Caribbean program, endorsed the project saying that it reflects the growing urgency for climate action across the region. “Embedding climate science into development planning is essential not just for policy but for the economic well-being of the region."

Villanova Professor at the Forefront of Work to Tackle Quantum Threats

Securing Our Future Against Quantum Threats Security and privacy are values that everyone cherishes. No tech user wants their personal information getting into the wrong hands, which is why we have security measures in place to protect our private data: face ID to unlock our phones, two-factor authentication to log into banking apps and fingerprint technology to securely enter any system—from a computer to your front door. Encryption codes are used on each of these platforms to encode private data and allow only authorized users to access it. These measures are put in place to protect us, but new advancements in technology could soon challenge these secure systems that we have come to know and trust. Quantum computers are extraordinary machines capable of solving problems far beyond the scope of today’s standard computers. Although these computers are not commercially available, scientists harness their power for experimentation and data storage. Quantum computers excel in scientific development, but they may also prove to be a threat to existing technology that we use in our daily lives. Experts predict that by 2035, quantum computers could crack the very encryption codes that secure everyday transactions and data. Jiafeng Xie, PhD, associate professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Villanova University, is at the forefront of this battle, using his Security and Cryptography Lab to strengthen security measures against the threat of quantum computers. The Rise of Post-Quantum Cryptography Since quantum computer advancements are accelerating at an unprecedented pace, post-quantum cryptography (PQC) has emerged as a critical area of research and development. Scientists who study PQC are working to come up with new algorithms to encode our sensitive data, with a goal of being installed after quantum computers crack our current encryption systems. Without these new algorithms, once quantum computers break our current codes, sensitive data—whether personal, corporate or governmental—could be left vulnerable to malicious actors. The core problem of our current encryption system lies in the foundation of public-key cryptosystems. Public-key cryptography is a method of encryption where the user logs into a system using their own private “key”, and the back end of the system has a “key” as well. A “key” is a large numerical value that scrambles data so that it appears random. When a user logs in, their “key” can decrypt private information held by the public “key” in the system to ensure a secure login. This security method is safe right now, but these systems rely on mathematical principles that, while secure against classical computing attacks, are vulnerable to the immense processing power of quantum computers. At the heart of the vulnerability is Shor's algorithm, developed by MIT computer scientist Peter Shor in 1994. As Dr. Xie explained, “Shor invented an algorithm to solve prime factors of an integer that can supposedly run on a quantum computer. This algorithm, if run on a large-scale mature quantum computer, can easily solve all these existing cryptosystems' mathematical formulation, which is a problem." The realization of this potential threat has spurred an increased focus on the development of post-quantum cryptography over the past decade. The goal is clear: "We want to have some sort of cryptosystem that is resistant to quantum computer attacks," says Dr. Xie. In 2016, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) began the process of standardizing post-quantum cryptography. In July 2022, NIST selected four algorithms to continue on to the standardization process, where they are currently being tested for safety and security against quantum computers. The standardization process for these new algorithms is intensive, and two of the candidates that were announced for testing have already been broken during the process. Scientists are in a race against time to increase the diversity of their algorithms and come up with alternate options for standardization. The urgency of this shift to post-quantum cryptography is underscored by recent government action. The White House released a national security memo in 2022 stating that the U.S. government must transition to quantum-resistant algorithms by 2035. This directive emphasizes the critical nature of post-quantum cryptography in maintaining not just personal but national security. Villanova’s Security and Cryptography Lab Once a new algorithm is selected by NIST, it will need to be embedded into various platforms that need to be secured—this is where Dr. Xie’s Security and Cryptography Lab comes in. This lab is actively conducting research into how the newly selected algorithm can be implemented in the most effective and resourceful way. The lab team is working on developing techniques for this new algorithm so that it can be embedded into many different types of platforms, including credit cards and fingerprint technology. However, there are significant challenges in this process. As Dr. Xie explains, "Different platforms have different constraints. A chip-based credit card, for example, has limited space for embedding new encryption systems. If the implementation technique is too large, it simply won’t work.” Another arising issue from this research is security. During the application of this new algorithm, there's a risk of information or security leakage, so Dr. Xie is always on the lookout for developing security issues that could cause problems down the road. The Future of Post-Quantum Cryptography The implications of PQC are widespread and extend far beyond academic research. As Dr. Xie points out, "All existing cryptosystems, as long as they have some sort of function—for example, signing in or entering a password for login—all of these systems are vulnerable to quantum attacks." This vulnerability affects everything from banking systems to small-scale security measures like fingerprint door locks. The scope of this transition is massive, requiring updates to encrypted systems across all sectors of technology. His goal is to ensure that these new cryptographic systems are flexible enough to be applied to everything from small devices like credit cards and drones to large-scale infrastructure like data centers and military equipment. Although researchers are hard at work now, the future of post-quantum cryptography is not without uncertainties. Dr. Xie raises an important question: "When quantum computers become available, will the algorithms we develop today be broken?" While the newly developed algorithms will theoretically be secure, vulnerabilities can emerge when implementing any kind of new security system. These potential vulnerabilities highlight the importance of conducting this research now so that the new algorithms can go through intensive testing prior to being implemented. Despite these challenges, Dr. Xie emphasizes the importance of being prepared for this new reality. "Society as a whole needs to be prepared with this kind of knowledge,” he says. “A new era is coming. With our current security systems, we need to have revolutionized change. On the other hand, we should not be panicked. We just need continued support to do more related research in this field.” More extensive research is required to ensure that our privacy is protected as we enter a new era of quantum computing, but labs like the Security and Cryptography Lab at Villanova are a step in the right direction. Although the “years to quantum” clock is ticking down, researchers like Dr. Xie are well on their way to ensuring that our digital infrastructure remains secure in the face of evolving technological threats.

Aston University researchers to explore using AI and fibre-optic networks to monitor natural hazards and infrastructures

Aston University is leading a new £5.5 million EU research project Will focus on converting fibre-optic cables into sensors to detect natural hazards Could identify earthquakes and tsunamis and assess civil infrastructure. Aston University is leading a new £5.5 million EU research project to explore converting existing telecommunication fibre-optic cables into sensors which can detect natural hazards, such as earthquakes and tsunamis, and assess the condition of civil infrastructure. The project is called ECSTATIC (Engineering Combined Sensing and Telecommunications Architectures for Tectonic and Infrastructure Characterisation) and is part of the Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action (RIA), which aims to tackle global challenges and boost the continent’s industrial competitiveness. Converting telecom fibres into sensors requires new digital signal processing to overcome the limited data storage and processing capabilities of existing communication networks. To address this the project will use localised, high performance digital processing that will integrate artificial intelligence and machine learning. The researchers’ goal is to minimise algorithms’ complexity while providing extremely accurate real-time sensing of events and network condition. The new laser interrogation and signal processing technologies will be tested using existing fibre optic networks, including those underwater, in cities, and along railway infrastructure to assess their potential. Delivered by a consortium of 14 partners across seven countries, from academic and non-academic sectors, the research will start in February 2025 and will last three and a half years. The Europe-wide team will be led by Professor David Webb who is based in the Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies (AIPT). Professor Webb said: “There are more than five billion kilometres of installed data communications optical fibre cable, which provides an opportunity to create a globe-spanning network of fibre sensors, without laying any new fibres. “These traverse the seas and oceans - where conventional sensors are practically non-existent - and major infrastructures, offering the potential for smart structural health monitoring.” Professor Webb will be joined by fellow researchers Professor Sergei Turitsyn, Dr Haris Alexakis and Dr Pedro Freire. For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Nicola Jones, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44) 7825 342091 or email: n.jones6@aston.ac.uk

Hurricane Milton: Second major storm in two weeks could multiply danger on Florida's Gulf Coast

Now a Category 5 hurricane, Milton is making a beeline toward Tampa Bay and other parts of Florida's western coast. But it will also hit some of the same areas that Hurricane Helene decimated less than two weeks ago, amplifying the danger and need for an on-point disaster response. Experts in the University of Delaware's Disaster Research Center can talk about several facets of this developing situation: Jennifer Horney: The mental and physical impacts of multiple disasters; environmental impacts of disasters and potential public health impacts for chronic and infectious diseases. She can talk about both Milton and Helene – Horney is a native of North Carolina and has done fieldwork in the state. Victor Perez: Can talk about known environmental justice issues in the Gulf Coast region that interact with climate change impacts, like hurricanes. Sarah DeYoung: Conspiracy theories and misinformation during disasters; pets in emergencies, infant feeding in disasters, decision-making in evacuation and community cohesion. DeYoung is from western North Carolina and can draw parallels from Milton to Helene. Jennifer Trivedi: Can talk about long-term recovery after large scale events – including compounding events – as well as challenges during disasters for people with disabilities, vulnerable communities and decision making. Tricia Wachtendorf: Evacuation decision-making, disaster response and coordination, disaster relief (donations) and logistics, volunteer and emergent efforts, social vulnerability. James Kendra: Disaster response activities, volunteers, and emergency coordination. A.R. Siders: Expert on sea level rise and managed retreat – the concept of planned community movement away from coastlines and flood-prone areas and the "expanding bullseye" that is contributing to the rising disaster costs in the U.S. Shanjia Dong: Research looks at smart and resilient urban systems; infrastructure systems, critical infrastructure protection, effective disaster preparedness and response, and equitable resilience planning and climate change adaptation. Joe Trainor: Post-storm housing decisions and insurance.

Hurricane Helene: Addressing health and safety concerns as communities rebuild

With Hurricane Helene bearing down on the Gulf region, millions of people are deciding whether or not to evacuate from their homes or ride the storm out. How to best protect their families, concerns over feeding their infants and what to do with beloved pets will all factor into their decisions. Understanding the reasons why individuals choose one course of action over the other is a complex issue that researchers in the University of Delaware's Disaster Research Center have been studying for years. The following experts in the DRC, the oldest such center in the United States, can comment on the following topics: Tricia Wachtendorf: Evacuation decision-making, disaster response and coordination, disaster relief (donations) and logistics, volunteer and emergent efforts, social vulnerability. James Kendra: Disaster response, nursing homes and hospitals, volunteers, response coordination. A.R. Siders: Expert on sea level rise and managed retreat – the concept of planned community movement away from coastlines and flood-prone areas. Specifically, Siders can talk about how building more homes and infrastructure in flood-prone areas in Florida makes the consequences of hurricanes like Helene more severe. (How the 'expanding bullseye' is contributing to the rising disaster costs in the U.S.). She authored two papers slated for release on floodplain development (noting the more than 400,000 homes that were built in regulated floodplains 2001-2019). Jennifer Horney: Environmental impacts of disasters and potential public health impacts for chronic and infectious diseases. Sarah DeYoung: Pets in emergencies, infant feeding in disasters and decision-making in evacuation. Specifically, DeYoung can speak to reports that mothers in Florida social media groups are concerned about storage of breastmilk if/when the power goes out. Jennifer Trivedi: Can talk about preparedness steps and recovery, including recovery planning, particularly in non-coastal areas; as well as challenges for people with disabilities during disaster, cultural issues and long-term recovery. Victor Perez: Focuses on environmental racism and health disparities in historically marginalized communities. Shanjia Dong: Research looks at smart and resilient urban systems; infrastructure systems, critical infrastructure protection, effective disaster preparedness and response, and equitable resilience planning and climate change adaptation. Joe Trainor: Post-storm housing decisions and insurance.