NSF Award
2329345
The CREST Postdoctoral Research Program (CREST-PRP) provides two years of support for research, training, and mentoring experiences for individual early career scientists at active CREST Centers. The goal of the CREST-PRP awards is to increase the STEM workforce presence of individuals who are members of groups underrepresented in STEM fields. CREST-PRP awards recognize investigators with significant potential and support their research experiences to broaden their perspectives, facilitate interdisciplinary interactions, and prepare CREST-PRP scholars for positions of leadership within the scientific community. The research project, "Promoting Coastal Biodiversity through AI-driven Modular Seawall Design and Construction," is in direct alignment with the CREST-PRP goals. Submitted by a researcher affiliated with the CREST Center for Aquatic Chemistry and Environment at Florida International University, the project is designed to develop and test Ecoblox, an innovative interlocking modular block system for shoreline construction that can easily integrate into existing seawalls or be used to build new seawalls. The project’s design and development work will build on technological advancements in big data analytics, networked sensor technologies, Artificial Intelligence, and robotics. The project expects to advance understanding of design and construction of synthetic seawalls customized for the conditions of specific ecosystems, that will further coastline resilience and biodiversity. Additionally, the researcher will receive active scientific and career mentoring and training to prepare them to flourish as a STEM professional while simultaneously contributing to the scientific capacity of the host CREST Center.<br/><br/>The project will apply microclimatic data and site-specific information in the design process, including factors such as solar radiation, wind patterns, water and air temperature, and water turbidity, to optimize the overall geometry and interlocking mechanism of Ecoblox and customize each seawall for specific ecosystems. AI-driven generative design software will be employed in investigating the relationship between the size, ratio, shape, and surface texture of Ecoblox to ideal conditions for the colonization of marine life, thus promoting biodiversity along seawalls. To ensure accuracy in construction and efficient construction methods, the researcher will use advanced manufacturing techniques such as robotic 3-D printing and computer numerical control milling in the production of Ecoblox with intricate geometries, thus enabling seawall solutions that are ecologically beneficial and produced with minimal waste and reduced cost. Finally, the project will explore and develop alternative materials that minimize the environmental impacts of construction on water quality and marine life. The extensive training and mentoring the postdoctoral researcher will receive will not only benefit her long-term career objectives but also afford benefits to the host CREST Center by bolstering its resident scientific research capacity.<br/><br/>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.
