REU Site: Hazards and Risks of Climate Change in the Pacific Northwest

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The hazards and risks associated with climate change are a pressing concern in the Pacific Northwest. Assessing risks associated with climate-related hazards requires an interdisciplinary approach that explores the nature of the hazard itself; the economic, social, and political vulnerabilities of the communities in the region; and communication strategies that reach a diverse audience. The primary goal of this project is to introduce students to and engage them in interdisciplinary hazards research that is relevant to their lives and livelihoods, and to do so early in their college careers. The project will bring up to 10 students per year from community colleges, tribal colleges, and universities throughout the Pacific Northwest to Central Washington University to conduct research spanning multiple disciplines, including hydrology, atmospheric science, sociology, geography, geology, and documentary film-making. Students will also work together on a grand challenge project to survey their communities about their perceived risks to climate change, integrate their individual research projects, and develop resources for communicating about climate change risks back to their own communities. They will present the results of their work at a regional conference hosted at CWU.An additional goal of this project is to develop a community around the idea of interdisciplinary climate hazards and risks research, one that can not only advance our understanding of these topics, but one that serves as a support network for transfer students, especially those from two-year colleges, to succeed in the four-year college environment. Many students at regional community colleges are from groups traditionally underrepresented in the STEM disciplines, and their communities are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. This project will support ongoing interactions between students, faculty at their home institution, faculty and students at Central Washington University, and the surrounding communities, emphasizing the role of research in building resiliency.