Project Summary
Rising sea levels, intensifying storms, and increasing flood risks are creating unprecedented challenges for coastal communities across the northeastern United States. In this region in particular, the magnitude of projected sea level rise is among the largest of any in the world threatening millions of Americans and billions of dollars in infrastructure. Small municipalities and neighborhoods often lack the expertise and tools needed to translate cutting-edge Earth system science into practical protection strategies for their residents. This project will build a collaborative network of scientists, engineers, policy experts, and community leaders to accelerate the development and implementation of adaptation solutions at the scale where they matter most, individual properties and neighborhoods. The project aims to reduce flood risks that currently cause over $32 billion in annual damages, protect vulnerable populations from extreme heat related illness, and preserve coastal infrastructure that supports regional economies. The collaborative approach of the project is driven by community needs in the Northeast region and will provide a replicable model for environmental adaptation nationwide.
This project establishes a regionally coordinated adaptation network spanning Connecticut, Maine, New York, and surrounding northeastern states. The project employs a systematic 10-step coordination plan to engage collaborators from academia, private sector, and government agencies and promote knowledge sharing between established Technical and Policy (TAP) and Municipal, Agency, and Private sector (MAP) teams. Key methods include structured stakeholder meetings, working group development, and consensus-building processes to identify and prioritize environmental challenges including coastal erosion, flood prediction, localized heat risk assessment, and regulatory barriers. The research approach integrates advanced Earth systems science with community engagement methodologies, focusing on developing practical solutions for living shoreline design, high resolution wave and flooding modeling, machine learning-enable flood alerts, and policy innovation protocols. Phase 1 deliverables include: 1) a prioritized list of regional environmental challenges, 2) co-designed solution strategies, 3) a workforce needs assessment, 4) workforce training and development plans and, 5) a sustainable organizational framework for continued collaboration. The innovation and incubation component of the project aims to ensure long-term sustainability of academia-private sector partnerships beyond the grant period, creating lasting adaptation support capacity for municipalities across the region.
Timeline: October 2025 to September 2027
Award Amount (UConn): $259,898
Defined Region: Northeast
Impact Area (s): Flooding, Coastal Hazards, Heat and Health Impacts, Energy Resilience
Meetings
Technical and Policy (TAP) Meeting - PIs at UConn, Stevens Institute of Technology, Brooklyn College, and U. of Maine have been sent the agenda and registration link by email
Date: Friday January 23rd, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Location: Fully Virtual
In the Media
UConn Today Article, December 15, 2025 by Loretta Waldman
UConn-led Project Promotes Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities
Product
Primary Deliverables - September 2027
- a prioritized list of climate challenges facing municipalities
- solutions that have been designed by working groups of collaborators and a strategy to develop and demonstrate effectiveness;
- a plan to meet the regional education needs co-designed by the academic institutions and the prospective employers and to sustain the regional collaboration
Project Team Members
Topic Areas
This project is a part of the following topical areas:
