The Project

Civil engineering students at George Mason University are working with communities across Virginia to analyze localized flood risk and support the creation of flood resilience strategies. The projects are part of Dr. Celso Ferreira’s CEIE 445/645 Flood Hazard Engineering and Adaptation course developed under a joint initiative with George Mason University’s Institute for a Sustainable Earth.

Course activities were crafted to reshape workforce development from a classroom-focused approach to a user-centered engineering modeling focus. Students, with guidance from postdoctoral fellows and graduate teaching assistants, apply their learned skills with new models developed from the Virginia Department of Conservation (DCR) to create tailored case studies based on each client’s unique needs. These case studies can include current and future pluvial, tidal, and sea-level rise flood risk assessments as well as potential impacts on infrastructure that could be utilized in future cost-benefit analyses. At the conclusion of each course, the students deliver their results to the community partner and the project team work with community partners to refine the informational products, if needed, to support successful use.

The Flood Hazards Engineering and Adaptation STRP is seeking new community-based partners. Submit a Project Request Form here or contact Dr. Celso Ferreira (cferrei3@gmu.edu) for additional information.  

Who’s Involved?

Projects are led by VCC flood experts Celso Ferreira and P. J. Ruess and their students in collaboration with local governments and communities across Virginia.