Christine B
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at Princeton University
Expertise
civil and environmental engineering, physical and probabilistic hazard modeling; current and future risk of natural hazards
Bio
I got my BS in civil engineering at Columbia University because as a kid I was always interested in sea walls and protecting coastal communities from sea level rise. Now at Princeton University, my research focuses on modeling tropical cyclone (hurricane) hazards at the urban scale. I am particularly investigating the impact urban morphology and materials could have on the interactions between flooding and extreme heat and the subsequent effect of those hazards on urban residents under current and future climates. To aid in future projections, I am also working on developing a methodology to leverage sediment records (captures several hundred years of hurricane activity) to estimate storm size and surge of hurricanes for which we have limited historical observations. Outside of research, I love to do ballet, watch movies in theaters, make trivia, and play board games. In fact, the only all nighters I've ever pulled were to play games with friends.Project ideas
Ancient Analogs for Natural Disasters
To best project how natural hazards will change in the future, it is critical to understand how they have behaved under historical climates. Prior to the relatively recent invention of satellites and recording equipment, however, we rely on historical observations that only exist for less than 200 years. Geological analogs can provide new information about hazards presence and severity and can even span several millennia. Yet, their implementation to broader natural hazard modeling and projections has been limited. In this project, the student would conduct a detailed literature review on datasets and methodologies for using such analogs for hazards like hurricanes, flooding, heat, etc. Based on the student's findings, they will create a central database and review paper for available data sources/analogs and their potential impact for different natural hazards.
How has your hometown been affected by tropical cyclones?
Have you ever experienced or been impacted by extreme storms or a hurricane? In this project, we will conduct a historical analysis of hurricane activity and hazards (flooding, wind, rain) on a location of the student's choice. The student will learn and use Python to process historical data and visualize both spatial and temporal impacts of storms in their selected area. Based on their historical analysis, we will create statistical models to investigate long-term these hurricane hazards.