IRES Track II: Leveraging Dutch Expertise in Advanced Techniques for Water Management

超过40%的世界人口生活在距离海岸100公里(62英里)的范围内，越来越多的人面临着越来越大的洪水风险。因此，迫切需要建立一支能够有效应对这些迫在眉睫的威胁的劳动力队伍，这一需求尚未得到满足。最近热带气旋的强度和频率导致休斯顿、查尔斯湖、新奥尔良，甚至北卡罗来纳州等内陆地区发生了多次洪水事件(2018年的佛罗伦萨飓风和2020年的埃塔残留物)。迈阿密被称为全球最脆弱的沿海城市，蓝天下的涨潮洪水变得司空见惯。波士顿已经实施了保护其港口免受海平面上升影响的计划，但仍然缺乏经过验证的方法。这些只是由于缺乏先进的水管理技能而对沿海和内陆人口构成威胁的几个例子。该项目将利用荷兰独特的专业知识、设施和沿海地质学，每年在荷兰主要地点为14名高级美国研究生提供为期两周的水资源管理培训机会。在荷兰接受培训期间，他们将接触到他们在美国无法获得的专业知识、设备和沿海系统。通过提供这些经验，参与者将获得关键的专业知识、洞察力和与世界领先专家的联系，以促进他们在水资源管理职业生涯中的成功。该计划将提高美国的防洪能力，同时提高来自不同背景的早期职业专业人员的成功。美国研究生将通过参加在荷兰举行的这一培训计划，培养水资源管理方面的关键专业知识。荷兰是水资源管理技术的领先国家之一。该项目将利用三所荷兰机构的专业知识：代尔塔雷大学、乌得勒支大学和代尔夫特技术大学。每年，14名高级美国研究生将参加为期两周的培训计划，每个项目年有单独的队列。将利用各种培训方法，包括短期讲座、动手培训(在数值建模技术和水槽实验室环境中)、小组工作、实地考察和学生项目，以提供对信息的综合理解和保留。建模技能将使用Deft3D(沿海科学家常用的数值建模程序包)培养，实验技能将在乌得勒支大学的水槽设施中学习，实地考察将提供对重要地点(鹿特丹港、Maeslantkering和沙地马达；Verdronken land van Saeftinghe；Zuidgors和Oester dam)的直接观察；最后的团队建模项目将把培训和经验转化为实用知识，以减轻美国因洪水和其他水事件而带来的风险。荷兰两所大学的研究生将与美国学生一起参加培训，以扩大培训范围，提高美国学生在不同的国际团队中工作的能力。美国学生招生将广泛关注少数族裔服务机构，以增加参与者的多样性。该项目由NSF国际科学与工程办公室(OISE)和既定的激励竞争研究计划(EPSCoR)联合资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

More than 40% of the world population lives within 100 km (62 miles) of a coast, and a growing number of people are facing increased risks of flooding. Consequently, a critical and unmet need exists for building a workforce that is capable of effectively addressing these imminent threats. The recent intensity and frequency of tropical cyclones have resulted in multiple flood events in Houston, Lake Charles, New Orleans, and even inland regions like North Carolina (Hurricane Florence in 2018 and remnants of Eta in 2020). Miami has been called the most vulnerable coastal city worldwide, with high-tide flooding under blue skies becoming common. The city of Boston has implemented plans to protect its harbor from rising sea level, but proven methodologies are still lacking. These are just a few examples of threats to coastal and inland populations due to a lack of advanced water management skills. This project will capitalize on unique expertise, facilities, and coastal geology in the Netherlands to provide a 2-week training opportunity at key Dutch sites each year for 14 advanced U.S. graduate students on the topic of water management. While in the Netherlands for training, they will be exposed to expertise, equipment, and coastal systems that they would not be able to access within the U.S. By providing these experiences, the participants will gain crucial expertise, insight, and connections to world-leading experts to promote their success in water management careers. The program will improve U.S. flood protection capabilities while at the same time enhancing the success of early career professionals from diverse backgrounds. Critical expertise in water management will be built through the participation of U.S. graduate students in this training program to be held in the Netherlands, one of the leading countries in water management technology. The project will leverage expertise at three Dutch institutions: Deltares, Utrecht University, and the Technical University of Delft. Each year, 14 advanced U.S. graduate students will participate in a 2-week training program, with separate cohorts for each project year. A variety of training approaches will be utilized, including short lectures, hands-on training (in numerical modeling techniques and in a flume lab setting), small group work, field trips, and student projects to provide an integrated understanding and retention of the information. Modeling skills will be developed using Deft3D (a numerical modeling package that is commonly used by coastal scientists), experimental skills will be learned at a flume facility at Utrecht University, field trips will provide direct observation of important sites (Rotterdam Harbor, Maeslantkering, and the Sand Motor; Verdronken land van Saeftinghe; and Zuidgors and Oesterdam), and a final, team modeling project will combine the training and experiences into practical knowledge to mitigate U.S. risks from flooding and other water events. Graduate students at two Dutch universities will participate alongside U.S. students in order to broaden the training and improve the ability of the U.S. students to work in diverse, international teams. U.S. student recruiting will involve extensive focus on minority serving institutions to increase diversity among participants.This project is jointly funded by the NSF Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.