Villanova Researchers Awarded Major NSF Grant to Address Flood Risks and Transportation Challenges for Vulnerable Communities

VILLANOVA, Pa. (October 1, 2024)- Chenfeng Xiong, PhD, assistant professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Virginia Smith, PhD, associate professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering; and Peleg Kremer, PhD, associate professor of Geography and the Environment, with support from Bridget Wadzuk, PhD, professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, have been awarded $750,000 of a $2 million research grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a project designed to reduce the vulnerability of underserved communities to the social and environmental impacts of urban flooding events.

Flooding events in urban areas can place stress on transportation infrastructure, making public transportation inaccessible. Underserved communities living in urban areas often rely on transportation facilities such as buses, trains, bicycles and pedestrian paths, rendering them immobile when a flooding event occurs. Research conducted under this grant will focus on finding solutions to alleviate the transportation challenges underserved communities face during severe flooding.

"Right now, more and more people are moving into urban environments, and oftentimes the highest flood risk areas are where the most vulnerable populations are located," said Dr. Smith. "This is a consistent issue in urban hydrology, which is why we're excited to be granted the resources to try to tackle it."

The study will be conducted using three research steps in flood-prone communities throughout the Philadelphia area. First, flood risk caused by a range of major storm events in these communities will be evaluated. Strategies will then be identified to reduce mobility barriers induced by urban flooding in the areas of study. The four-year grant will conclude with the construction and implementation of an interactive planning approach to address urban flood risk.

The Villanova researchers will work on the project in collaboration with principal investigator Alireza Ermagun, PhD, assistant professor of Geography and Geoinformation, and others at George Mason University.

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University's Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges-the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation's top universities, Villanova supports its students' intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.