Wednesday, August 14, 2019
8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

A daylong workshop for journalists, policymakers and community leaders from North Carolina communities in the paths of past and future hurricanes. Duke experts and others will share useful research-based information that can guide reporting about major storms and can help community leaders before, during and after the storms.

Before the storm

8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast

9 a.m. Welcoming Remarks

  • Toddi Steelman, Stanback Dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment

9:05 – 10 a.m. Rivers, forests, wetlands, and living shorelines: How can the natural environment help communities reduce hurricane and flood damage? (lightning sessions)

  • “Living Shorelines,” Carter Smith, postdoctoral associate, Nicholas School of the Environment 
  • “Wetlands and Salt Marshes: Their Protective Role,” Lydia Olander, director, Ecosystem Services Program, Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions

10 – 11 a.m. Guarding public health through the storms (lightning sessions)

  • “Environmental Law and Disaster Planning: Basic Precautions,” Ryke Longest, co-director, Duke Environmental Law and Policy Clinic
  • Julia Kravchenko, assistant professor, Duke Department of Surgery
  • “Water Quality Impacts from Extreme Storm Events,” Lee Ferguson, associate professor of environmental chemistry and engineering, Pratt School of Engineering and Nicholas School of the Environment

11 – 11:15 a.m. Break 

 

During the storm

11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Living through the storm: Lessons from Florence (panel discussion)

  • Rett Newton, mayor, Beaufort, North Carolina
  • Andy Read, director, Duke Marine Lab
  • Donna Chavis, Friends of the Earth, NC Climate Justice Collective, and RedTailed Hawk Collective, Lumberton, North Carolina
  • Cedric Harrison, founder, Support the Port, Wilmington, North Carolina
  • Karl Bates, director of research communications, Duke University (moderator)

12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch

 

After the storm

1:30 – 2 p.m. Lightning sessions: Community members comment on reporting and research gaps

2 – 3 p.m. Protecting coastal economies from stormy times (lightning sessions)

  • “Ghost Forests,” Emily Bernhardt, James B. Duke professor, Duke Department of Biology
  • “Protecting Aquaculture from Storms,” Tom Schultz, director, Duke Aquafarm
  • “Working Waterfronts on the Front Line of Storms,” Barbara Garrity-Blake, cultural anthropologist and author, “The Fish Factory”

3 – 3:15 p.m. Break

3:15 – 4:15 p.m. Decision-making before and after storms: How can good governance reduce natural disasters’ impact and speed recovery? (panel discussion)

  • Sherri White-Williamson, board member, Rural Empowerment Association for Community Help (NC REACH)
  • Betsy Albright, assistant professor, environmental science and policy, Nicholas School of the Environment
  • Tim Profeta, director, Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions
  • Jessica Whitehead, chief resilience officer, North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency

4:15 – 5 p.m. Drones as disaster aids: How drones can help coastal communities assess damage and triage storm aid (multimedia presentation)

  • Dave Johnston, director, Duke Marine Robotics and Remote Sensing Lab