Reflections from the Second Annual MACH Summer Course | Megalopolitan Coastal Transformation Hub (MACH)

MACH Summer Course participants in front of wetlands

MACH Summer Course participants with the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge Manager, Virginia Rettig & Senior Refuge Biologist Joe Smith

In June 2024, MACH hosted its second annual in-person Summer Course in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The MACH Summer Course is an immersive experience where participants spend a week living and learning together. This year, participants explored how climate research (including their own research) can make an impact (1) in the classroom and (2) outside of academia/higher education.

The first half of the course focused on the basics of science communication, including an informal science communication panel with science education and outreach specialists and a local reporter. The second half focused on coastal resilience perspectives in New Jersey. Coastal resilience at the state level was reviewed with a speaker from the NJ DEP. Participants were then introduced to perspectives on coastal resilience in both rural and urban NJ settings. They traveled north to Berkely Township to explore salt marsh restoration with a local refugee manager and biologist. Later, they visited sites critical to coastal resilience in Atlantic City, meeting with a planner/consultant, environmental specialist, and local entrepreneur.

The week ended with an opportunity for MACH researchers to participate in a workshop with MACH’s community college partners. Summer course participants put their science communication skills into practice as they shared their research with interested community college faculty. MACH researchers further practiced their communication skills by incorporating publicly available climate science into a community college classroom activity and presenting their efforts during the workshop for feedback from the community college partners.

MACH Summer Course Participants in Atlantic City, NJ with Jim Rutala of Rutala Associates, LLC

Read reflections from a few summer course participants below:

The 2024 summer course organized by MACH at Stockton University Atlantic City campus, has really changed how I see the impact of my climate research. Before, my focus was mainly on the theoretical and methodological implications within academic circles, but this course helped me understand the importance of communicating scientific information beyond academia. Visiting local sites made me realize the real-life significance of my research, particularly when it comes to dealing with environmental issues like flooding, storm surge, and sea level rise, and helping communities become more resilient. Engaging in activities and discussions with guest speakers and informal science communicators from various backgrounds, provided valuable insights into different strategies for conveying complex scientific concepts to broader audiences. Learning to use data communication tools like My Coast and NJ Adapt and designing exercises for community college students utilizing these tools, made me realize their potential to empower communities by providing accessible data to address climate-related challenges. The workshop with community college faculty, staffs and stakeholders highlighted how our research can make a tangible difference in addressing environmental issues and inspiring future generations. It also encouraged discussions on integrating climate science into education and connecting scientific knowledge with practical action. Overall, the course motivated me not just to advance knowledge in my field, but also realize the importance of effectively communicating my research to contribute to solving real-world problems and promoting resilience in the face of climate change.

Read Nuzhat’s “notes from the field” posted on the Rutgers Coastal Communities Adaptation Lab webpage here.

The 2024 Summer Course brought me to a city that has universities, world class resorts, a vibrant beach front and transportation to other nearby hubs. It is also a city that is currently facing some of the more extreme social issues in New Jersey and will be facing some of the most extreme climate change related issues in New Jersey. It is an important environment for MACH to interact with to gain context on all of what we stand for and investigate. We heard various perspectives from locals, showing us that our collective stance on halting development in the most flood prone areas is not necessarily the usual stance among people living in those areas. This gives us important understanding for communicating our work and broadens our understanding on how our work can affect people today and tomorrow. Since the course, I have been grappling within myself how to value short term and long term decisions as we progress through a changing climate. We also had the opportunity to collaborate with community college professors, researchers and administrators. I was very energized by this experience through seeing the care they had for their local communities on the levels of both education and environment.

This year’s summer course continued to change my perspective of my research because we were exposed to such a diverse group of stakeholders and community members. Meeting with Atlantic City stakeholders was a reminder of how different perspectives matter, and how the coastal science can be interpreted with a range of impacts, from something as small as an inconvenience to being a cause for retreat. On a personal note, the interactions during the MACH field course are a nice reminder that the research we are producing is in demand and people from many different backgrounds are looking forward to the results. The highlight for me was meeting the community college partners, as it was incredible to see how highly they value their students and are hungry for more ways to make education accessible and relatable to them. This experience in particular changed my perspective of how my research can make an impact. For example, the topic of extratropical cyclones and their associated flooding could be incorporated into a classroom lesson, rather than solely being a standalone research topic. I look forward to any similar programs to interact with stakeholders through MACH in the future!

The 2024 MACH summer course has significantly reshaped my perspective on the impact of my research focusing on immigrant communities and their experiences during disasters. I now recognize the critical importance of applying this research to real-world situations, moving beyond purely theoretical approaches. The course has emphasized the need to effectively communicate complex concepts about disaster experiences to broader, non-academic audiences, particularly considering the diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds of immigrant communities. Through site visits, I have gained a deeper appreciation for the tangible impacts of climate-related disasters on vulnerable populations, including immigrant communities. Interactions with various speakers have provided valuable insights into different strategies for conveying research findings to wider audiences, which is crucial when addressing the unique challenges faced by immigrant groups during disasters. Learning about tools like My Coast and NJ Adapt has demonstrated how my research could directly benefit immigrant communities through accessible, culturally appropriate data and resources. Designing exercises for community college students revealed the potential of my work to educate future generations about the specific needs and experiences of immigrant populations during disasters. The workshop emphasized how my research can address critical gaps in disaster preparedness and response for immigrant communities, bridging scientific knowledge with practical action.

I am now motivated not only to advance academic knowledge but also to contribute to solving real-world problems and promoting disaster resilience among immigrant populations. In essence, the course has transformed my view of my research from a primarily academic pursuit into a powerful tool for empowering immigrant communities, enhancing culturally sensitive disaster response, and developing practical solutions to address the unique challenges these communities face during disasters.