Catalyzing Nature-Based Solutions to Address Urban Water Challenges in Philadelphia Communities
Climate change threatens clean water access and freshwater ecosystems in cities like Philadelphia, within the Northeast Mega Region. Aging water infrastructure, such as combined sewer overflows (CSOs), requires remediation to safeguard livelihoods, restore ecosystems, and comply with federal long-term control plans. As these issues are tackled, understanding the role, effectiveness, and challenges of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) becomes crucial for addressing future demands on strained water resources.
Howard Neukrug, executive director of The Water Center at Penn, leads an interdisciplinary team of researchers to address urban water challenges in Philadelphia communities. By leveraging technical, social, and financial expertise, scholars involved in this collaborative research endeavor seek to advance knowledge of natural infrastructure for resilient water management. Student Research Fellows will play a leading role in research and policy brief development.
Penn collaborators:
- Lauren Anderson, director of programs, Perry World House
- Maria Andrews, associate director of undergraduate programs, Department of Earth and Environmental Science, SAS
- Anna Balfanz, coordinator, Netter Center for Community Partnerships
- Ariel Ben-Amos, lecturer, Urban Studies Program, SAS
- Eugenie Birch, professor, Penn Institute for Urban Research
- Mathijs Bouw, professor of practice, Landscape Architecture, Weitzman School of Design
- Sean Burkholder, assistant professor, Landscape Architecture, Weitzman School of Design
- Cary Coglianese, professor, Carey School of Law
- Cornelia Colijn, executive director, Kleinman Center for Energy Policy
- Ocek Eke, director of graduate students programming, School of Engineering and Applied Science
- Shane Jensen, professor, Department of Statistics and Data Science, The Wharton School
- Doug Jerolmack, professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Science, SAS
- Marilyn Howard, director, Community Outreach and Engagement Core (COEC), Center for Excellence in Environmental Toxicology
- Allison Lassiter, assistant professor, City & Regional Planning, Weitzman School of Design
- Michael Mann, professor, Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media
- Amy Montgomery, managing director, Penn Institute for Urban Research
- Nina Morris, director, Penn Sustainability
- Simon Richter, professor, Department of Francophone, Italian, and Germanic Studies, SAS
- Eugenia South, associate professor, Urban Health Lab, PSOM
- Hugo Ulloa, assistant professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Science, SAS
- Susan Wachter, professor, Penn Institute for Urban Research
(Image: Satellite Image Corporation)
Collaborators
“…academic, community, government, and corporate partners are helping to inform and advance water-related solutions in Philadelphia communities” – Howard Neukrug, executive director of The Water Center at Penn
