REU Site: Coastal Infrastructure Resilience Research (CIRR)

Coastal regions are facing increasing threats from erosion and flooding caused by chronic degenerative events including sea level rise and heavy rainfall, as well as discrete extreme events such as hurricanes. The "REU Site: Coastal Infrastructure Resilience Research (CIRR)" program at the University of Miami will recruit 30 students to participate in multidisciplinary research related to various aspects of coastal infrastructure resilience.

The University of Miami (UM) is a hemispheric-focused institution located in Miami, which is one of the most scrutinized epicenters for sea level rise and other climatic challenges. Undergraduates will have access to interactions with the scientific community including engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, and the natural and marine sciences.

They will be encouraged to pursue a research-based or practicing professional career in a STEM field. Increasing the number of researchers particularly from underrepresented communities will result in a more cohesive, accepting, and science-oriented citizenry who believe in the importance of research in improving coastal communities' lives and infrastructure.

The overall goal of the "REU Site: Coastal Infrastructure Resilience Research (CIRR)" program at the University of Miami is to provide opportunities for talented and motivated undergraduates from underrepresented groups to perform research in the area of coastal infrastructure resilience. While there have been coastal infrastructure resilience efforts in recent years, most efforts have been unidirectional and primarily focused on a single specific discipline.

The proposed program will take a convergent approach to develop comprehensive and robust solutions by integrating an interdisciplinary sphere of interest that includes engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, and the natural and marine sciences. Specifically, the participants will (i) conduct collaborative research under the supervision of at least two REU faculty mentors, (ii) engage in weekly seminars led by both national and regional organizations, (iii) witness the societal efforts of coastal resiliency mitigation through local field trips, and (iv) experience professional growth and development through a series of "How-To" workshops and a culminant in-house conference to present their research findings.

The overall effectiveness of the project will be measured using an evaluation and assessment plan grounded on proven models in education science.

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.