BPE TRAVEL GRANT: Learn from Disasters Field Mission on Reconstruction of the Tohoku Region of Japan for Underrepresented Students in Engineering

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According to the theoretical and scientific literature, there is a dearth of underrepresented students in engineering, particularly in the field of disaster recovery and natural hazard mitigation. This international travel grant will be used to support eight U.S. students on a field mission to Japan to observe the reconstruction and redevelopment of the Tohoku region, after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. This Learn from Disasters Field Mission (LDFM) two-week summer experience will train and mentor traditionally underrepresented minority and female students. Student participants will learn firsthand the process necessary to recover from a natural disaster. They will also visit sites within the Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures to observe the recovery efforts and attend workshops hosted by local Japanese universities. Further, the workshops and site visits will provide broad exposure to disaster recovery and community resilience research in Japan while also allowing the U.S. student participants to establish meaningful relationships with Japanese engineering students and researchers. The long-term goal of the LDFM program is to develop a cadre of well-trained future engineers who will develop a strong foundation in engineering and disaster recovery while also gaining the capacity to engage successfully in international research within academia or industry. Further, this travel grant will provide a unique opportunity for engineering underrepresented students to receive firsthand experience in the field of disaster recovery and natural hazard mitigation. The LDFM program will further stimulate students' interest in pursuing advanced degrees in engineering and greatly enhance their future careers in engineering. Moreover, this travel grant will foster new international collaborative opportunities in hazard mitigation and disaster recovery for the principal investigator and will promote global learning and cultural exchange among the student participants.