Jackson State University’s Dr. Berneece Herbert, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, will serve as Co-Principal Investigator in a new $5.8 million research project to address increasing flood risks and disproportionate impacts of climate extremes along the U.S. Gulf region. The research is funded by the National Science Foundation’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research or EPSCoR.
The Principal Investigator is Dr. Emad Habib, the Endowed Chair and Professor of Civil Engineering and Director of the Louisiana Watershed Flood Center and the Institute for Coastal and Water Research at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
This project, led by UL Lafayette and involving six major universities, aims to provide vital support and solutions for the communities most affected by these challenges.
“JSU’s role includes organizing and participating in community co-creation workshops and training sessions to harness local knowledge; analyzing contemporary and historical planning documents relevant to the community’s resilience and adaptation; and contributing to the mapping of social vulnerability, hydroclimatic analysis, and economic assessments for the city of Jackson,” Herbert said.
This initiative targets three critical regions in the U.S. Gulf: the Acadiana region in South Central Louisiana, the Mobile Bay region in Alabama, and the city of Jackson and surrounding communities in Mississippi. Other universities collaborating with UL Lafayette on this project include the University of Alabama, LSU, Tulane University, and Tuskegee University.
“This project represents a significant step forward in our efforts to support the most vulnerable communities in the U.S. Gulf region,” said Habib. “By combining our expertise across multiple disciplines and working closely with local stakeholders, we aim to develop practical solutions that not only address the immediate challenges of climate-intensified flooding but also build long-term resilience against future climate impacts on surface water quality and water infrastructure.”
Habib said this collaboration is essential for creating equitable adaptation and resource allocation strategies that truly serve the needs of these communities. Recent studies indicate that climate extremes are intensifying weather events, such as heavy rains and floods, which lead to severe economic instability, social trauma and health problems.
Historically marginalized communities disproportionately feel these impacts, people of color and those with lower socioeconomic status. These groups often live in areas with inadequate water infrastructure and are typically excluded from climate adaptation plans.
“The project aims to synthesize socio-economic-hydroclimatic data and information to formulate planning scenarios, incorporating equity-oriented models and local knowledge, while exploring pathways to build regional capacities that ensure the inclusion of vulnerable populations in climate adaptation planning,” explained Herbert
Researchers at UL Lafayette and partner universities will investigate why specific communities are more susceptible to climate extremes and their impacts; examine past climate impacts and forecast future changes; analyze patterns of historical disinvestment in water and wastewater infrastructure; create plans to help vulnerable communities adapt to climate extremes; strengthen research facilities; and support workforce development.
According to Habib, the project will generate new data, predictive models, maps, and planning tools, enabling local officials and community leaders to make informed decisions. The project aims to develop equitable and effective climate adaptation strategies by incorporating community input and addressing their specific needs.
This project is one of 14 announced by NSF on July 23. Spanning 50 institutions across 21 jurisdictions, NSF’s $77.8 million investment aims to build research and development capacity and strengthen STEM education opportunities in states that have historically received lower funding levels.
“Every part of our nation has been impacted by the changing climate. We build a sustainable future for all by investing in climate resilience research and solutions across our country,” said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. “By empowering researchers from different EPSCoR jurisdictions and enabling collaborations across diverse institutions from the Mountain West to the Gulf Coast, from the Southwest to the mid-Atlantic and New England and beyond, we are driving innovation that fosters STEM opportunities, economic growth and climate resilient communities.”
The project will begin this fall and continue for four years. It includes training and professional development opportunities for graduate students and early-career researchers at UL Lafayette and partner universities.