Transforming disaster risk reduction in South Louisiana: Advancing scalable solutions for flood and wind resilience

Author's Biography

Carol J. Friedland is Professor and Director of the LaHouse Research and Education Center under the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Louisiana State University (LSU) Agricultural Center. Her teaching, research and extension efforts focus on hazard-resilient construction, disaster loss estimation, hazard mitigation planning and sustainable housing. Carol leads projects aimed at improving the durability and safety of residential buildings in disaster-prone regions, particularly the Gulf Coast. Her research integrates engineering, policy and risk analysis to inform resilient building codes, promote mitigation strategies and support post-disaster recovery. Prior to her current role, Carol served for over a decade in the Department of Construction Management at LSU. She regularly collaborates with government agencies, non-profit organisations and academic partners to advance public understanding and application of resilient design practices.

Rubayet Bin Mostafiz is Assistant Professor-Research at Louisiana State University (LSU) Agricultural Center LaHouse Research and Education Center. His work focuses on natural hazard risk assessment, disaster resilience and economic risk analysis for residential communities, particularly those in coastal and rural settings. He employs spatial analysis and geographic information systems (GIS) to evaluate flood and wind hazards, life cycle cost-benefit scenarios and mitigation strategies that enhance the safety, affordability and sustainability of housing. Rubayet holds a PhD in oceanography and coastal sciences (with a minor in geography) from LSU. His research bridges the natural, social and built environments to support resilient, equitable housing solutions throughout the Gulf Coast region. He contributes extensively to disaster education and outreach, developing hazard communication tools and educational resources aimed at homeowners, policy makers and communities. Recent projects — supported by agencies including the US Department of Agriculture, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency — target hazard mitigation and resilience in highrisk coastal areas.

Monica Teets Farris is Assistant Professor of Planning & Urban Studies at the University of New Orleans (UNO) and Director of the UNO Center for Hazards Assessment, Response & Technology (UNOCHART). Her academic and professional expertise centres on public policy, hazard mitigation, floodplain management, community education and outreach. She earned her PhD in political science from UNO in December 2002, with a major in public law and minors in public policy, public administration and political behaviour, following an MA in political science from Louisiana State University in December 1996. Since 2009, Monica has led UNOCHART, an applied social science research centre that supports Louisiana communities in enhancing disaster resilience, especially around repetitive flooding, mitigation planning, risk literacy, adaptation and the Community Rating System. She teaches courses including Citizen Participation, Green Infrastructure and Planning for Hazards. Funded work includes projects such as the State of Louisiana Hazard Mitigation Plan update and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-supported research on freeboard adoption economics and policies.

Meggan Franks is Assistant Professor-Extension in LaHouse Research and Education Center at the Louisiana State University (LSU) Agricultural Center (AgCenter). She brings over 15 years’ experience directing and managing community education, youth development and extension programmes, particularly in evaluative and experiential learning contexts. Previously serving as a 4H Specialist and Manager of Reporting and Program Impact at the LSU AgCenter, Meggan developed institution-wide systems to report and assess outreach and engagement initiatives. Her expertise lies in mixed-method evaluations, experiential learning design, community-engaged participatory approaches and the development of systems that integrate community voices to refine programmes and strengthen partnerships. She continues to lead and participate actively in 4H programmes, maintaining leadership of a 4H Club in East Baton Rouge. Meggan holds a Doctorate in business administration (2023) from Athabasca University in Alberta, Canada, a Master of Business Administration (2009) from Mississippi State University (MSU) and a Bachelor of Science in human sciences (2006), also from MSU.

Robert V. Rohli is Professor of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences at Louisiana State University (LSU). His teaching and research interests are in atmosphere circulation variability; synoptic, coastal, and hazard meteorology/climatology; hydrometeorology; geoscience education; history of science; and metacognition.