CIVIC-PG Track A: A Multi-dimensional Approach to Transform Tribal Community Resilience Against Extreme Wind Hazards

The objective of this Civic Innovation Challenge Planning Grant (CIVIC-PG) is to support research on mitigating extreme wind hazards in Midwest tribal communities by co-developing, co-implementing, and validating a scalable socio-technical framework and a web-based computational platform to predict and assess risk and resilience. Resilience building within tribal communities has historically met many challenges, including limited technology access, integration, and implementation, lack of skillful workforce, and restricted access to tribal lands.

Recent devastating events underscore an urgent need to enhance preparedness and infrastructure planning, particularly for tribes without federal recognition. Among them, extreme wind hazards in the Midwest are most threatening, causing service disruptions, economic instability, and potential loss of life. The computational platform is designed to facilitate information exchange, update preparedness frameworks, map hazard areas, and provide real-time evacuation and resource allocation.

Training of local representatives improves data utilization and coverage, thus strengthening community resilience against natural hazards.

The project employs a multi-dimensional approach to 1) discover community vulnerabilities and interactions between technology, environment, infrastructures, and people, (2) create integrated analytical methods and resilience models for tribal communities, and (3) co-develop a web-based computational platform integrating resilience modeling, geographic information system, deep learning, and remote sensing. It brings together diverse expertise and partnerships to transform research and technology into practical solutions to enhancing resilience, promoting technology use, and supporting tribal self-reliance and decision-making.

The project contributes to the advancement in interdisciplinary collaboration across resilience modeling, data analysis, geospatial science, and emergency management. The technology and framework are scalable for wider adoption.

This project is in response to the Civic Innovation Challenge program’s Track A. Climate and Environmental Instability - Building Resilient Communities through Co-Design, Adaption, and Mitigation and is a collaboration between NSF, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Energy.

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.