This career project deals with drought, one of the most complex and costly of all natural disasters. However, recent research found that drought plans often suffer from deficiencies that limit their value in actual droughts. Drought plans may fail to incorporate valuable expertise and experience from previous droughts. In addition, agencies lack readily accessible methods to test and improve their plans. Because agencies' plans may be inadequate, metropolitan regions may unwittingly be susceptible to disasters.
This research project addresses two key needs for development of drought plans: to improve drought plans before a drought occurs, and to tap existing expertise on drought water management. The research will generate new knowledge and methods for the development and evaluation of drought plans, using a knowledge-based engineering approach. This approach applies artificial intelligence techniques to acquire, formalize, and disseminate expert heuristics within an integrated decision-support system.
The research objectives are to: (1) investigate the factors that reduce drought hazards; (2) design a framework for developing and evaluating drought contingency plans, using knowledge-based engineering methods; (3) test drought plans, using expert heuristics and drought scenarios; and (4) develop an integrated knowledge-based system to help agencies prepare and improve their drought plans.
This integrated CAREER plan will also address deficiencies in water resources education.
The educational objectives are to: (1) provide students experience with real-world water resources problems in which they work directly with agencies and stakeholders; (2) develop and implement problem-based learning exercises that enable students to develop reasoning skills for active, lifelong learning; (3) use information technologies, including knowledge-based systems, in educational and professional settings; and (4) provide students opportunities to contribute both to the advancement of research and to the solution of problems in their community. An interdisciplinary degree program will be developed to establish internships with industries and agencies, and engage students in research and K-12 outreach programs that link scientists and educators from over 5,000 schools in 65 countries. This educational plan will help to meet the growing need for engineers and water resources professionals who can work and communicate effectively when faced with complex, multidisciplinary problems that affect both the public and private sectors.
