Growing up in California has given me a front row seat to a variety of natural disasters that are increasing in number and severity due to climate change. I live in Humboldt County at the intersection of a triple junction where three tectonic plates meet. There is a constant threat of a catastrophic earthquake that would cause severe infrastructure damage as well as loss of life. I’ve lived in the Sacramento Valley as well and each summer and fall the valley fills up with thick, suffocating wildfire smoke. The sky turns an apocalyptic orange color, and everyone wears N95 masks. The levees that hold back the Sacramento River are a thin engineering feat between life and tragedy as El Niño storms threaten devastating flooding. The list of climate change induced natural disasters that we face in California is long. As an aspiring engineer, I hope to prioritize sustainability in all my design projects. I believe holistic nature-based engineering solutions can help alleviate these threats. How would nature solve this problem? Resolving these immense challenges requires research, design, political advocacy, community engagement, and implementation. Initially, further research needs to be done into green infrastructure such as natural wetlands, reforestations, and permeable surfaces. We live in a paved over world which causes water to flow overland into rivers and streams, eventually overwhelming our flood defenses. By designing and restoring wetlands, we give the water a way to slow down and reenter the ground. As a benefit we create wildlife habitat and beautiful natural spaces for everyone to enjoy. We need innovation in the permeable concrete space that would allow water to penetrate these hard surfaces and make its way underground. There is a lot of talk about lack of water storage in California. The best place to store water is underground. It helps maintain the stability of the soil we build on. It recharges aquifers so we can keep drinking from them. Permeable surfaces would allow this to happen. Planting trees and reducing the amount of bare earth also gives water a way to filter into the soil rather than run across the surface. More buildings should incorporate green roofs which serve the same general function: slow down the path of water during storms so we don’t overwhelm our flood defenses. All these solutions require community outreach and political advocacy because they are perhaps a bit less traditional than the way we have done things in the past. We need new ideas. Change can be hard, so making sure the community understands the importance of these solutions is critical. Current policy and lobbying efforts are another hurdle. Having the support of community, indigenous, and political leaders is necessary to achieve success. Engineers need to work with these groups. We cannot do it alone. We can design the systems and help implement them, but it is our responsibility to also be able to justify them. We must be better at explaining the scientific importance and working with our leaders to enact change. That is what I mean by a holistic approach. By combining technical expertise with community engagement, policy advocacy, and a commitment to sustainability, I believe that we can contribute to the widespread adoption of nature-based solutions to alleviate natural disasters and mitigate the impacts of climate change on our vulnerable communities. I can’t wait to get started.

Growing up in California has given me a front row seat to a variety of natural disasters that are increasing in number and severity due to climate change. I live in Humboldt County at the intersection of a triple junction where three tectonic plates meet. There is a constant threat of a catastrophic earthquake that would cause severe infrastructure damage as well as loss of life. I’ve lived in the Sacramento Valley as well and each summer and fall the valley fills up with thick, suffocating wildfire smoke. The sky turns an apocalyptic orange color, and everyone wears N95 masks. The levees that hold back the Sacramento River are a thin engineering feat between life and tragedy as El Niño storms threaten devastating flooding. The list of climate change induced natural disasters that we face in California is long. As an aspiring engineer, I hope to prioritize sustainability in all my design projects. I believe holistic nature-based engineering solutions can help alleviate these threats. How would nature solve this problem? Resolving these immense challenges requires research, design, political advocacy, community engagement, and implementation. Initially, further research needs to be done into green infrastructure such as natural wetlands, reforestations, and permeable surfaces. We live in a paved over world which causes water to flow overland into rivers and streams, eventually overwhelming our flood defenses. By designing and restoring wetlands, we give the water a way to slow down and reenter the ground. As a benefit we create wildlife habitat and beautiful natural spaces for everyone to enjoy. We need innovation in the permeable concrete space that would allow water to penetrate these hard surfaces and make its way underground. There is a lot of talk about lack of water storage in California. The best place to store water is underground. It helps maintain the stability of the soil we build on. It recharges aquifers so we can keep drinking from them. Permeable surfaces would allow this to happen. Planting trees and reducing the amount of bare earth also gives water a way to filter into the soil rather than run across the surface. More buildings should incorporate green roofs which serve the same general function: slow down the path of water during storms so we don’t overwhelm our flood defenses. All these solutions require community outreach and political advocacy because they are perhaps a bit less traditional than the way we have done things in the past. We need new ideas. Change can be hard, so making sure the community understands the importance of these solutions is critical. Current policy and lobbying efforts are another hurdle. Having the support of community, indigenous, and political leaders is necessary to achieve success. Engineers need to work with these groups. We cannot do it alone. We can design the systems and help implement them, but it is our responsibility to also be able to justify them. We must be better at explaining the scientific importance and working with our leaders to enact change. That is what I mean by a holistic approach. By combining technical expertise with community engagement, policy advocacy, and a commitment to sustainability, I believe that we can contribute to the widespread adoption of nature-based solutions to alleviate natural disasters and mitigate the impacts of climate change on our vulnerable communities. I can’t wait to get started.

Growing up in California has given me a front row seat to a variety of natural disasters that are increasing in number and severity due to climate change. I live in Humboldt County at the intersection of a triple junction where three tectonic plates meet. There is a constant threat of a catastrophic earthquake that would cause severe infrastructure damage as well as loss of life. I’ve lived in the Sacramento Valley as well and each summer and fall the valley fills up with thick, suffocating wildfire smoke. The sky turns an apocalyptic orange color, and everyone wears N95 masks. The levees that hold back the Sacramento River are a thin engineering feat between life and tragedy as El Niño storms threaten devastating flooding. The list of climate change induced natural disasters that we face in California is long. As an aspiring engineer, I hope to prioritize sustainability in all my design projects. I believe holistic nature-based engineering solutions can help alleviate these threats. How would nature solve this problem? Resolving these immense challenges requires research, design, political advocacy, community engagement, and implementation. Initially, further research needs to be done into green infrastructure such as natural wetlands, reforestations, and permeable surfaces. We live in a paved over world which causes water to flow overland into rivers and streams, eventually overwhelming our flood defenses. By designing and restoring wetlands, we give the water a way to slow down and reenter the ground. As a benefit we create wildlife habitat and beautiful natural spaces for everyone to enjoy. We need innovation in the permeable concrete space that would allow water to penetrate these hard surfaces and make its way underground. There is a lot of talk about lack of water storage in California. The best place to store water is underground. It helps maintain the stability of the soil we build on. It recharges aquifers so we can keep drinking from them. Permeable surfaces would allow this to happen. Planting trees and reducing the amount of bare earth also gives water a way to filter into the soil rather than run across the surface. More buildings should incorporate green roofs which serve the same general function: slow down the path of water during storms so we don’t overwhelm our flood defenses. All these solutions require community outreach and political advocacy because they are perhaps a bit less traditional than the way we have done things in the past. We need new ideas. Change can be hard, so making sure the community understands the importance of these solutions is critical. Current policy and lobbying efforts are another hurdle. Having the support of community, indigenous, and political leaders is necessary to achieve success. Engineers need to work with these groups. We cannot do it alone. We can design the systems and help implement them, but it is our responsibility to also be able to justify them. We must be better at explaining the scientific importance and working with our leaders to enact change. That is what I mean by a holistic approach. By combining technical expertise with community engagement, policy advocacy, and a commitment to sustainability, I believe that we can contribute to the widespread adoption of nature-based solutions to alleviate natural disasters and mitigate the impacts of climate change on our vulnerable communities. I can’t wait to get started.

Growing up in California has given me a front row seat to a variety of natural disasters that are increasing in number and severity due to climate change. I live in Humboldt County at the intersection of a triple junction where three tectonic plates meet. There is a constant threat of a catastrophic earthquake that would cause severe infrastructure damage as well as loss of life. I’ve lived in the Sacramento Valley as well and each summer and fall the valley fills up with thick, suffocating wildfire smoke. The sky turns an apocalyptic orange color, and everyone wears N95 masks. The levees that hold back the Sacramento River are a thin engineering feat between life and tragedy as El Niño storms threaten devastating flooding. The list of climate change induced natural disasters that we face in California is long. As an aspiring engineer, I hope to prioritize sustainability in all my design projects. I believe holistic nature-based engineering solutions can help alleviate these threats. How would nature solve this problem? Resolving these immense challenges requires research, design, political advocacy, community engagement, and implementation. Initially, further research needs to be done into green infrastructure such as natural wetlands, reforestations, and permeable surfaces. We live in a paved over world which causes water to flow overland into rivers and streams, eventually overwhelming our flood defenses. By designing and restoring wetlands, we give the water a way to slow down and reenter the ground. As a benefit we create wildlife habitat and beautiful natural spaces for everyone to enjoy. We need innovation in the permeable concrete space that would allow water to penetrate these hard surfaces and make its way underground. There is a lot of talk about lack of water storage in California. The best place to store water is underground. It helps maintain the stability of the soil we build on. It recharges aquifers so we can keep drinking from them. Permeable surfaces would allow this to happen. Planting trees and reducing the amount of bare earth also gives water a way to filter into the soil rather than run across the surface. More buildings should incorporate green roofs which serve the same general function: slow down the path of water during storms so we don’t overwhelm our flood defenses. All these solutions require community outreach and political advocacy because they are perhaps a bit less traditional than the way we have done things in the past. We need new ideas. Change can be hard, so making sure the community understands the importance of these solutions is critical. Current policy and lobbying efforts are another hurdle. Having the support of community, indigenous, and political leaders is necessary to achieve success. Engineers need to work with these groups. We cannot do it alone. We can design the systems and help implement them, but it is our responsibility to also be able to justify them. We must be better at explaining the scientific importance and working with our leaders to enact change. That is what I mean by a holistic approach. By combining technical expertise with community engagement, policy advocacy, and a commitment to sustainability, I believe that we can contribute to the widespread adoption of nature-based solutions to alleviate natural disasters and mitigate the impacts of climate change on our vulnerable communities. I can’t wait to get started.