Restoring through research: 蘑菇短视频professors help rebuild after Helene
By Matt Salerno
Hurricane Helene stormed into North Carolina on Friday, Sept. 27 and wreaked unprecedented havoc over the following three days. Thousands of homes and miles of roadways were swept away by the floodwaters. Tens of thousands more homes were damaged, displacing families. Waterways became clogged with debris and structures such as bridges, levees, and culverts sustained heavy damage. Updated estimates indicate the hurricane caused $59.6 billion in damage.
Through grants awarded by North Carolina Collaboratory, two professors in Western Carolina University鈥檚 Kimmel School of Construction Management are helping to rebuild the infrastructures and through them, the lives of the region.
Mickey Henson received a $11,674 grant that offers students the opportunity to gain experience with industry professionals coordinating recovery efforts, and Chris Cox received a $14,459 grant to assist non-profits in the reconstruction of homes damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Helene.
"Our students will collaborate with the Natural Resource Conservation and the North Carolina Soil and Water Conservation Districts on Hurricane Helene restoration efforts,鈥� Henson said. 鈥淭his funding will be used to support their work, which currently focuses on debris removal assessments. This initiative offers a valuable opportunity for students to apply their classroom knowledge, develop new skills, and support affected communities."
North Carolina Collaboratory is a research-funding agency that focuses on the environment, natural resources, public health, education, technology and infrastructure in North Carolina. Since its inception in 2016, the organization has invested in over 600 research projects with a mission to serve the state through practical information and technologies.
In the wake of the hurricane, North Carolina Collaboratory sent out a call for proposals allocating funding for universities to assist state and federal agencies with Helene-related research or relief assistance.
Henson is partnering with the North Carolina Division of Soil and Water Conservation and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to assess sites across Western North Carolina and the risks to life and property caused by flooding.
Henson鈥檚 project will include students helping conduct debris removal from waterways, clearing culverts and bridges, stabilizing banks, drainage repair, erosion control and restoring levees and conservation structures.
Cox鈥檚 project will involve students wearing head-mounted cameras and taking measurements to create a 3-D profile of the damaged homes. These profiles will then be updated into a database as a work package.
鈥淲e see this as a great opportunity for our students to leverage their classroom learning, acquire new skills while helping our impacted communities,鈥� Cox said.
Non-profits and agencies looking to assist in rebuilding people鈥檚 homes will then be able to access a list of construction project needs that will allow them to be more intentional and efficient.
It is easy to forget that the billions of dollars in damage are more than just numbers, they are peoples鈥� livelihoods. This type of work is vital to not just help rebuild the infrastructure of the region but the lives of those within it.
Construction Management students will play integral roles in leading these construction site assessments in projects that bring together the university and the community, reflecting the strong sense of community that embodies our region.
