PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (Jan. 27, 2025) – According to Census records, over 16 million people live in the Gulf of Mexico region, which includes counties in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and western Florida. At the same time, this area is home to multifaceted and complex challenges typically widely triggered by natural disasters.
Enter the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. It recently granted $5.9 million to fund eight Gulf Futures interdisciplinary design studios across accredited architecture programs in U.S. Gulf states, including Prairie View A&M University.
PVAMU will receive $749,108 to advance its Integrated Design for Environmental and Climate Justice Research and Community-Based Collaborative Design Studio, which seeks to strengthen resilience in previously segregated and historically significant communities in Houston and the wider Gulf Coast region.
Jessica April Ward, PhD
“Winning this nearly $1 million award is an incredible honor and a reflection of the urgent need for collaborative, interdisciplinary solutions to address climate justice in historically marginalized communities,” said project lead Dr. J. April Ward, assistant professor in the PVAMU School of Architecture. “It highlights the trust placed in our vision to create meaningful change through research, design, and community engagement. We’re excited to implement this work and strengthen resilience across the Gulf Coast region.”
Dr. Ward explained PVAMU’s Integrated Design for Environmental and Climate Justice (IDEA) Climate Justice Research and Community-Based Collaborative Design Studio is “a research initiative that unites students, faculty, citizen scientists, civic leaders, and community stakeholders to develop innovative design and planning solutions. Through community-engaged design, we aim to create spaces and strategies that improve resilience and sustainability for areas historically excluded from critical conversations.”
Furthermore, the studio, which will provide students with the chance to participate in a hands-on service-learning model, will use quantitative and qualitative stakeholder-need assessments, mapping, and visualization methods to capture stakeholder experiences during and after extreme weather events, power grid failure, flooding, and associated with poor air and water quality. Students will also have the opportunity to conduct research and design of renewable energy, disaster housing, and climate justice policy.
This kind of real-world experience “goes beyond the classroom,” Ward notes. “Students will have the opportunity to apply their skills in design, planning, and research to address pressing issues in vulnerable communities. By collaborating directly with stakeholders, citizen scientists, civic leaders, and industry partners, students will develop technical expertise, empathy, and problem-solving skills that will be invaluable in their careers.”
The studio leverages the University’s 10 years of partnerships throughout the city of Houston, working with residents, community organizers, city employees, and local leaders in combination with the Gulf Futures network. Ultimately, it will empower students to become leaders and entrepreneurs in their respective fields through this hands-on, cross-disciplinary approach.
Ward leads the project, joined by colleagues in PVAMU’s Roy G. Perry College of Engineering and Brailsford College of Arts and Sciences. “I have three co-PIs on this project whose contributions have been and will be instrumental in shaping our work: Ervin M. Emanuel, PE, Dr. Marco Robinson, and Tracey Moore (SOA),” she said. “We believe this project represents the future of research and design—where collaboration, justice, and innovation intersect. I’m incredibly proud of the team and partners who have made this work possible.”
Big picture, strengthening resilience in previously segregated and historically significant communities in Houston and the wider Gulf Coast region is important as these areas have been disproportionately affected by environmental, economic, and social injustices due to segregation, redlining, and underinvestment.
That becomes especially vital as natural disasters worsen in scope, size, and destruction amid climate change. “Strengthening their resilience ensures they are better prepared to face challenges like flooding, extreme weather, and power grid failures while preserving their cultural and historical significance,” Ward said. “This work addresses longstanding inequities and builds a foundation for a more equitable and sustainable future.”
By Christine Won
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