The Covid-19 Pandemic forced many institutions, organizations, and individuals to rethink "business as usual." For the FindIt Program, the long-running historic resource survey program within the Center for Community Design & Preservation (CCDP), local shelter-in-place rules provided an opportunity for students to share the results of their architectural fieldwork more broadly.
Sixteen UGA researchers from 10 different colleges and departments will apply their expertise to N-EWN's mission. The project leader for UGA is principal investigator Dr. Brian Bledsoe, a professor in the College of Engineering, who specializes in resilient infrastructure. Dr. Jon Calabria, a professor in the College of Environment and Design, will also be a partner in the project. The N-EWN partnership will also draw from the expertise of the UGA's River Basin Center and Center for Integrative Conservation Research. In addition, an equal number of researchers from USACE will add their knowledge and skill to the network, led by Dr. Todd Bridges, the EWN National Lead and Dr. Jeffrey King, EWN Deputy National Lead. Dr. Calabria states, "We are just beginning to conceptualize ways to integrate nature-based infrastructure to achieve sustainability and resiliency goals. Students and I are in the process of creating graphics and plans to inform these goals at several scales."