Complex Adaptive Water Systems (CAWS)
We are a group of scientists (and scientists-to-be) who use different quantitative approaches to solve complex water management issues around the world. We are physically located in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Lehigh University. Our previous projects focus on the dynamic interaction (or Nexus) among food, energy, water, and environment at different spatial and temporal scales. We initiated the effort in stormwater management and catastrophe flood modeling in 2020. We use the Agent-based modeling (ABM) approach coupled with progress-based models to evaluate both natural and human behavior uncertainty in a Couple Natural-Human complex system.
OUR LATEST RESEARCH
Supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, our group will work with Houston Advanced Research Center and the University of Houston to develop a modeling framework that advances systems-level understanding of the impacts of climate change on electrical power infrastructure.
CAWS is leading an NSF-JST jointly funded project that focuses on the inclusive human-centered risk management modeling framework for flood resilience. Our project will create a modeling system that considers the natural conditions of the study area, people's perceptions and experiences related to floods, and factors such as governmental policies on buyouts and insurance. Most importantly, the research explicitly considers the differential impact of floods on vulnerable groups, including low-income, minority, disabled, and elderly individuals.
