Seeking equitable pathways to community disaster resilience 

About the research

The overall goal of our research is to safeguard human and physical infrastructure against disasters. We use methods that center community needs and value local knowledge.

To achieve this goal, our team engages with community partners to investigate areas such as:

• Historical and current social inequities in infrastructure impacting resilience.
• Disaster planning and preparation.
• Rural and urban infrastructure challenges and solutions.
• Resilience of water, energy, and transportation systems.

This REU program is funded by a Kansas NSF EPSCoR initiative known as ARISE, which stands for adaptive and resilient infrastructures driven by social equity.

Compensation

• $7,000 stipend
• Summer housing provided (on or off-campus)
• Meal plan provided to eat on campus

What You Will Gain

• Team-based research experience involving community engagement
• Professional skills, including how to communicate science effectively
• Data analytics and visualization skills
• Career and graduate school opportunities
• Lifelong friendships
• With three universities involved, our participants also leave with a larger professional network than other single-college summer programs.

What to Expect

This research experience pairs 12 undergraduates with professors at one of three universities in Kansas:

• Kansas State University (KSU)
• University of Kansas (KU)
• Wichita State University (WSU)

For roughly 9 weeks in the summer, participants will:

• Attend a 3-day orientation to meet the team and learn about the program
• Conduct research guided by a faculty mentor
• Attend workshops on communication, data science, etc.
• Take field trips to learn about infrastructure and support regional communities
• Present a research poster and a 3-minute talk

Who is Eligible?

Applicants must have completed their first year of college and be enrolled at a 2- or 4-year college. In addition, applicants must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents.

Kansas students will be given first-priority but anyone living in the U.S. may apply.

*NOTE: Students who have already graduated with a four-year degree are not eligible.

The research matches with the following majors:

• agriculture
• business & economics
• mathematics
• engineering
• psychology & sociology
• urban planning &, public policy
• computer science
• geography
• environmental science
• and related fields of study

How to Apply

Before you launch the application form, be ready to provide the following items:

1. Video OR Written Essay – in either a video or essay format, please answer these questions: Who are you? What experiences have shaped your life? What does being resilient mean to you (give an example)? How will this program support your career plans? Format for video: 3 minutes max. Format for essay: 2 pages max; PDF file with your name at the top.
2. Unoffocial Transcript from your university coursework – upload file
3. Resume (1-page max; PDF preferred) –  upload file
4. Two Letters of Recommendation – Ask two people who are familiar with you to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf. One letter should speak to your work experience (professional skills). One letter should speak to your academic skills. Upload letters with your application (PDF preferred).

About our team

REU Leadership:

• Jason Bergtold (he), Professor, Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University
• Belinda Sturm (she), Professor, ARISE Director, Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering, University of Kansas
• Visvakumar Aravinthan (he), Associate Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Wichita State University

Potential Faculty Mentors:

Funding

This REU program is funded by a Kansas NSF EPSCoR initiative known as ARISE, which stands for adaptive and resilient infrastructures driven by social equity.