Congratulations to MACH researcher Laura Geronimo for receiving the 2024 ACSP Barclay Gibbs Jones Award for Best Dissertation in Planning!
Laura’s thesis, “Prioritizing Federal Investments for Coastal Adaptation,” examines the political economy of climate adaptation in coastal regions, focusing on the power struggles among competing interest groups. Her research explores how federal programs shape U.S. coastal communities’ responses to rising seas and intensifying storms. The central question is how to prioritize federal resources for strategies to either remain in place or retreat from areas prone to severe flood losses, while ensuring the equitable distribution of adaptation investments. Laura highlights that adapting to climate hazards involves difficult societal trade-offs, with many current engineering and policy approaches leading to a cycle of damage and rebuilding with inequitable outcomes. She argues for rethinking governance and fiscal strategies to better balance the interests of federal, local, and private stakeholders, while advocating for increased resources to navigate the complex social and political landscape of coastal adaptation.
Read the full announcement on the Bloustein School webpage.
See the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning news for more information about the award and a Q&A with Laura.