Details

Severe Storm Prediction and Global Climate Impact on the Gulf Coast Conference

This conference will focus on prediction and warning; and emergency response and recovery strategies associated with tropical storms and hurricanes in the Gulf Coast . In addition, there will be sessions focusing on pre-disaster planning and preparedness; mitigation of severe storm impacts: and educational and social dimensions of disasters. This year's conference will highlight the impacts of global change on Gulf Coast climate and infrastructure. Participants from across the nation will include speakers from public, private and academic sectors. It will be broad in scope and have inter-disciplinary coverage.

Severe Storms and Flood Prediction

1. Flood Prediction and Flood Warning Systems
2. Advanced Radar and GIS Technologies
3. Land Use Impacts in the Coastal Zone
4. Evacuation Planning from Disaster
5. Coastal Surge Modeling & Impacts
6. Critical Facility Needs
7. Flood Inundations Zones and Floodplains
8. Disaster-induced risk assessment of infrastructures
9. Katrina Response and Recovery
10. Water Quality Impacts in Severe Storms
11. Educational and Social Dimension of Disasters

12. Evidence for Recent Climate Change
13. Reducing anthropogenic effects on climate change
14. Sea level rise and Infrastructure
15. Climate Change and Severe Storm Frequency
16. Policy and Planning Issues

Call for Abstracts and Posters

General:	$245
GOV and NGO:	$120
Student:	$50

Dr. Philip B. Bedient, Ph.D., P.E.

Philip Bedient is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rice University, and holds the Herman Brown Chair in Engineering. He has been studying urban hydrology for the past 30 years, including major floodplain studies, stormwater studies, water quality studies, and radar-based flood alert systems for Texas. Dr. Bedient is lead author of a textbook entitled "Hydrology and Floodplain Analysis", used in over 70 universities. http://sspeed.rice.edu http://fas2.rice.edu bedient@rice.edu

Dr. Baxter E. Vieux, Ph.D., P.E.

Baxter Vieux is a Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science at University of Oklahoma. As Director of the Center for Natural Hazard and Disaster Research, he oversees research efforts to mitigate severe weather impacts such as flooding. He is an expert in the development of engineering hydrologic applications using NEXRAD radar. His active research programs focus on distributed-parameter hydrologic modeling and advanced hydrologic applications of NEXRAD weather radar prototyped at the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), Norman OK. http://nhdr.ou.edu/ http://www.vieuxinc.com/ bvieux@ou.edu

Dr.Hanadi Rifai, Ph.D.

Hanadi Rifai is a Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Houston.  Her expertise includes ground water flow and transport modeling, risk assessment, natural attenuation, hazardous waste, hydrology, urban storm water quality, non-point source pollution, Total Maximum Daily Loads, Decision Support Systems and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Dr. Rifai has built and manages the GIS computer laboratory in the department at UH. She is the Co-Director of the SSPEED Center. http://www2.egr.uh.edu/~rifai rifai@mail.uh.edu

Directions to Rice University

From George Bush Intercontinential Airport
From William P. Hobby Airport

Directions to McNair Hall for the Conference

The symposium will be held in the Shell Auditorium (ground floor, 108), in McNair Hall on the Rice University Campus. The map below shows McNair Hall circled in Red and parking information.

Parking at Rice

For more information about parking, including rates, go to the Rice University Campus Maps page. This site has maps of campus, including parking and shuttle information.