Office of the Senior Vice President for Research
Office of the Senior Vice President for Research

Urban Resilience

Building Smarter Responses to Climate Risk

Rising sea levels, stronger storms, and rapid coastal development have made communities across the U.S. increasingly vulnerable to flooding, high winds, and other natural disasters. Despite growing risk, mitigation efforts are often delayed or misaligned—shaped by flawed incentives, limited information, and behavioral biases.

At OSVPR, we study the complex interplay between human decisions and natural systems. Our work examines how policy, psychology, infrastructure, and environmental factors intersect—informing more effective and equitable strategies for urban resilience.

We also explore the unintended consequences of well-meaning interventions. For example, floodwalls may protect some communities while encouraging risky development or displacing flood risk downstream. Understanding these dynamics is critical to shaping climate-smart policies and systems

Project Team

Partners & Support

Outcomes

Work in progress.