CED Included in Interdisciplinary Pre-Seed Research Teams

Wednesday February 17, 2021 | PR Committee

Flooded houses

Members of the CED are participating in two research teams as part of a 2021 cohort sponsored by the UGA Office of Research. In partnership with the Office of the Provost, competitive “pre-seed” funding was made available to stimulate collaboration around areas of need and to position faculty teams to be competitive for internal and external grants.

Senior Lecturer Donnie Longenecker (BLA ’90) is contributing to a team formed to provide research support to the hospitality and tourism industry in Georgia. Along with teaching and research faculty from Agriculture and Applied Economics; Parks, Recreation and Tourism; and Hospitality and Food Industry Management, as well as public service faculty from Marine Extension/Sea Grant and the Georgia Center for Continuing Education, the team’s goal is to pool the knowledge from academic programs that can support state and local tourism initiatives. Along with studies on the feasibility of tourist attractions, visitor profiles, and the economic impact of festivals and events, land use studies can add to a body of knowledge that enhances ongoing UGA efforts in rural economic development, commercial food safety, and agritourism. This research is especially timely given how the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the state’s $60 billion annual tourism industry.

Other critical research needs in Georgia include affordable housing and coastal sea level rise. Jennifer Lewis (MHP ’02), Director of the CED Center for Community Design & Preservation, and CED alum Scott Pippin (MEPD ’13), Public Service Associate with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, are included on an interdisciplinary team of engineers, ecologists, planners, social scientists and other specialists to design coastal housing units that are cost-effective, resilient, and culturally appropriate. The research team is exploring how lessons learned from initiatives such as the Katrina Cottage, in combination with innovations such as 3D printed construction techniques, could produce affordable homes that fit in among traditional residences yet are better suited to withstand storm events. The UGA Marine Institute on Sapelo Island will serve as a proving ground for this project.