NSF Award
2107669
More than 40% of the world population lives within 100 km (62 miles) of a coast, and a growing number of people are facing increased risks of flooding. Consequently, a critical and unmet need exists for building a workforce that is capable of effectively addressing these imminent threats. The recent intensity and frequency of tropical cyclones have resulted in multiple flood events in Houston, Lake Charles, New Orleans, and even inland regions like North Carolina (Hurricane Florence in 2018 and remnants of Eta in 2020). Miami has been called the most vulnerable coastal city worldwide, with high-tide flooding under blue skies becoming common. The city of Boston has implemented plans to protect its harbor from rising sea level, but proven methodologies are still lacking. These are just a few examples of threats to coastal and inland populations due to a lack of advanced water management skills. This project will capitalize on unique expertise, facilities, and coastal geology in the Netherlands to provide a 2-week training opportunity at key Dutch sites each year for 14 advanced U.S. graduate students on the topic of water management. While in the Netherlands for training, they will be exposed to expertise, equipment, and coastal systems that they would not be able to access within the U.S. By providing these experiences, the participants will gain crucial expertise, insight, and connections to world-leading experts to promote their success in water management careers. The program will improve U.S. flood protection capabilities while at the same time enhancing the success of early career professionals from diverse backgrounds. <br/><br/>Critical expertise in water management will be built through the participation of U.S. graduate students in this training program to be held in the Netherlands, one of the leading countries in water management technology. The project will leverage expertise at three Dutch institutions: Deltares, Utrecht University, and the Technical University of Delft. Each year, 14 advanced U.S. graduate students will participate in a 2-week training program, with separate cohorts for each project year. A variety of training approaches will be utilized, including short lectures, hands-on training (in numerical modeling techniques and in a flume lab setting), small group work, field trips, and student projects to provide an integrated understanding and retention of the information. Modeling skills will be developed using Deft3D (a numerical modeling package that is commonly used by coastal scientists), experimental skills will be learned at a flume facility at Utrecht University, field trips will provide direct observation of important sites (Rotterdam Harbor, Maeslantkering, and the Sand Motor; Verdronken land van Saeftinghe; and Zuidgors and Oesterdam), and a final, team modeling project will combine the training and experiences into practical knowledge to mitigate U.S. risks from flooding and other water events. Graduate students at two Dutch universities will participate alongside U.S. students in order to broaden the training and improve the ability of the U.S. students to work in diverse, international teams. U.S. student recruiting will involve extensive focus on minority serving institutions to increase diversity among participants.<br/><br/>This project is jointly funded by the NSF Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).<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.
