November 4, 2021
New research and education hub to focus on coastal resiliency
The Cascadia Coastlines and Peoples Hazards Research Hub, which is based at the University of Washington and Oregon State University, has launched with the goal of studying dangers prevalent in coastal communities, specifically in Northern California, Oregon, and Washington, in order to increase safety and resiliency in the communities. These coastal areas are prone to environmental consequences of many geological hazards, which drives this project’s intention of increasing resiliency of these areas through research and education.
The hub aims to combine native and local ecological knowledge with the research of the hub itself to create a diverse and inclusive plan for educating coastal communities on the risks of their environment. It will also focus on recovery methods in an effort to increase their overall resilience should the risks become reality. The hub also plans to train new scientists and leaders from underrepresented communities to further involve the local communities.
The Cascadia hub is the newest endeavor in the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) recently announced Coastlines and People program. Nearly 40% of the U.S. population resides in coastal counties, so the goal of the NSF is to offer support to these people and communities by combining physical and social sciences to help educate and prepare the communities for potential risks.