A Systems Perspective to Build Infrastructure Resilience to Environmental Stressors
Building: Curtis Hall City: Medford, MA 02155 Campus: Medford/Somerville campus Location Details: Curtis Hall Multipurpose Room (474 Boston Avenue, Medford, MA) Wheelchair Accessible: Yes Open to Public: Yes Primary Audience(s): Faculty,Staff,Students (Graduate),Students (Postdoctoral),Students (Undergraduate) Event Type: Lecture/Presentation/Seminar/Talk Event Subject: Education,Engineering/Technology,Innovation,Sustainability/Climate Event Sponsor: School of Arts and Sciences Event Sponsor Details: Environmental Studies Program RSVP Information: RSVP only needed for virtual attendants Event Contact Name: Sinet Kroch Event Contact Email: sinet.kroch@tufts.edu Link: https://tufts.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0b5Q14KDRByYNWqXHa_1Aw Infrastructure systems exist within a complex operating environment, influenced by social, natural, and regulatory systems. For example, climate change and environmental crises can have cascading impacts on the level of infrastructure services received by communities. It is imperative to understand such impacts to build community resilience and create more sustainable infrastructure services. In this talk, multiple case studies will be explored to understand: How can we improve the level of infrastructure services in rural Alaska despite the extreme and changing climate? By capturing community perspectives after the East Palestine train derailment, how can environmental disaster response be improved? To answer these questions, this talk will explore how systems thinking can be used to abstract uncertain contexts and identify leverage points that can spark change. Such leverage points include practical policy recommendations, engineering solutions, and managerial adaptations.