Every spring, the Whiting School of Engineering hosts Design Day, an annual showcase of students’ creativity, optimism, innovation, and ability to translate their theoretical knowledge into solutions to real-world problems.
Sustaining resilient coastal environments under the growing threat of climate change is a worldwide and interdisciplinary challenge. This year, one EHE Design Day team is tackling the challenge of road flooding near Aberdeen Proving Ground.
The Coastal Resilience Senior Design Team assessed three tidal crossings facing intensifying inundation of water from prolonged and periodic flooding at the Army testing facility, located in the Upper Chesapeake Bay. A tidal stream crossing is a bridge or culvert that allows tidal flow underneath a road, pedestrian path, or railroad.
Team members are Ashley Choy, Kevin Sommer, Elmer Hernandez, and Dorothy Thompson.
The team evaluated the hazards of the rising sea level and storm surge, and modeled the effects in this wetland ecosystem to propose nature-based solutions to protect APG operations, communities, and ecosystems.
The team used hydrologic and hydraulic modeling of the three crossings using on-site measurements and relative sea level rise predictions for 2050 to understand how adaptations in the wetland ecosystem could provide flood management.
“Design Day has given me the opportunity to work on a ‘real-world’ project related to climate change."
- Dorothy Thompson
The designs proposed to professional partners at EA Engineering, Science, and Technology prioritize natural adaptation while considering the use of traditional engineering solutions and a management plan to respond to evolving SLR predictions. The team’s proposed solution will be used to inform the ongoing work of the engineering firm.
Working on the project allowed students to get hands-on experience and collaborate with working professionals in the engineering field.
“Design Day has given me the opportunity to work on a ‘real-world’ project related to climate change. I got experience in managing a project and what it could look like to be working in the industry,” says team member Dorothy Thompson. “While I did implement knowledge from previous coursework, I also learned how to navigate software, make cost analyses, and conduct a site visit. I learned a lot and believe this was a very valuable experience.”
Environmental Health and Engineering is a cross-divisional department spanning the Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Whiting School of Engineering. This hybrid department is uniquely designed to lead pioneering research and prepare the next generation of scholars to solve critical and complex issues at the interface of public health and engineering. Learn more about our programs.
