As a result of global climate change, the frequency and intensity of natural hazards — earthquakes, hurricanes, and wildfires — are increasing. So how resilient are local, state, and national infrastructures?
This hour-long webcast discusses innovations designed to increase infrastructure resilience, particularly of pipelines and tunnels. Cornell Engineering Professor Emeritus Tom O’Rourke will present a case history of the restoration of the Canarsie Tunnel after it was flooded by Hurricane Sandy. He will also explore the agents of change that lead to improved policies and approaches, including the technical, institutional, and social challenges of introducing new technologies and engaging community support.
About Cornell’s CTECH Keynote series:
Transportation and infrastructure systems define modern society and provide critical services that ensure healthy and economically viable communities. Future development of urban infrastructure systems, such as transportation systems and the urban environment, must address the complex systems challenges of population growth and urbanization, the acceleration of climate change, environmental integrity, community health, and increased economic disparities.
The CTECH (Center for Transportation, Environment, and Community Health) Keynote series provides an open forum for multidisciplinary discussion, bringing together practitioners, policy makers, researchers, and the general public to examine these issues and solutions through a social justice and health equity lens. Together, we will explore innovative research and technologies ranging from new service/business models to connected and automated electric vehicles that address the challenges in infrastructure, transportation, environment, and community health systems.
While highlighting the impact of the STEM disciplines on civic well-being and public health, this series also affords the opportunity for the dissemination of knowledge and actionable recommendations to meet these global challenges.
The CTECH Keynote series is developed by Dr. H. Oliver Gao, Howard Simpson Professor with the
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University and director of the US Department of Transportation’s
Center for Transportation, Environment, and Community Health (CTECH).
RESOURCES / NEXT STEPSCenter for Transportation, Environment and Community HealthREPORT: A Stronger, More Resilient New YorkREPORT: Lower Manhattan Climate Resilience StudyREPORT: Summer Bridge Issue on Engineering for Disaster ResilienceNext CTECH event 11/11/22 INFRASTRUCTURE OPPORTUNITIES: Coupling Electric Power and Transportation 
