Envisioning Urban Futures: How Scenario-Based Modeling Can Shape Adaptive and Sustainable Pathways to Climate Resilience

Speaker: Dr. Georgina Sanchez, Research Scholar and Faculty Fellow, Center for Geospatial Analytics, NC State

Introduction by: Dr. Ross Meentemeyer, center director and Goodnight Distinguished Professor of Geospatial Analytics

Summary: Geospatial modeling provides a means to explore and visualize growth trajectories that align with the evolving needs of our world. It allows us to evaluate tradeoffs between competing social and ecological needs while considering future uncertainties. In this talk, we’ll challenge the status quo by exploring alternative strategies for local and regional adaptation to the increasing threats of sea level rise and flooding.

About the speaker: Dr. Georgina Sanchez is a Research Scholar and Faculty Fellow with the Center for Geospatial Analytics at NC State University. Georgina’s interdisciplinary approach to research bridges land and climate change science, hydrology, and geospatial analytics to address complex sustainability challenges. Georgina’s research also involves participatory modeling techniques and principles of knowledge co-production that engage communities, stakeholders and/or end-users in development of strategies to tackle natural resource challenges. She holds a Ph.D. in Forestry and Environmental Resources from NCSU, a M.S in Biosystems Engineering from Michigan State University, and a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Costa Rica.