David Abraham | Rice University

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Presentation Description

In the context of increasing global climate variability, flood hazards have emerged as a critical challenge threatening communities all over the country. The development of reliable local evacuation routes during flood hazards is paramount in safeguarding human lives and ensuring the resilience of communities. However, the integration of equity in the planning, design, and implementation of these evacuation routes remains significantly underexplored. This presentation delves into the multifaceted approach required to address equity in the development of reliable local evacuation routes amidst flood hazards, emphasizing the need for a paradigm shift towards inclusive resilience-building practices.

The primary objective of this research is to analyze the current disparities in the accessibility and reliability of evacuation routes during flood events, with a focus on vulnerable populations in cities. This study identifies key barriers to equitable evacuation planning, including socio-economic constraints, infrastructural limitations, and inadequate risk communication. The presentation further explores innovative strategies to overcome these barriers, incorporating geospatial analysis, and adaptive planning to ensure that evacuation routes are accessible, understandable, and usable for all segments of the population.

A significant portion of this research includes the utilization of GIS technologies for mapping flood risks and evacuation routes, mobile technology for real-time communication, and the application of machine learning models to predict flood impacts and optimize evacuation strategies. The presentation also highlights the importance of integrating traditional knowledge and practices with modern scientific approaches to create culturally sensitive and effective evacuation plans.

Speaker Biography

Dr. David B. Abraham, is a scholar of Sustainable Development Planning and Strategies, specializing in Transportation Planning and Performance Measurement. His research interests focus on developing sustainability strategies for the enhancement of living places. His research and professional experience includes: Sustainable transportation planning; Equity and well-being impacts from the built environment; Resilience and revitalization community planning; and Community performance metrics. He has also had experience with developing consensus building techniques for public participation/ community involvement support for the identification and delineation of planning objectives.
Dr. Abraham’s work has been featured at workshops, keynote agendas and conference proceedings throughout the US and internationally in Ireland, Barbados, Brazil, Canada and Portugal. Under Dr. Abraham's guidance, his research provides hands on learning opportunities for students in various academic units at Rice University, including the Professional Science Masters Program, the Global Affairs Masters Program and the Jones School of Business.
Dr. Abraham currently leads the Office of Strategic Planning for the Harris County Toll Road Authority, where he is responsible for the Sustainability, Resilience and Equity in Transportation portfolios. He has served on the City of Houston Planning Commission and currently sits on the Urban Land Institute’s Planning Advisory Service Honorary Fellows (ULI-PASHA).

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