Research
At the Institute for Climate and Community Resilience, we advance climate resilience through integrated, interdisciplinary research that connects the natural sciences, social sciences, and community-driven solutions. Our work supports solutions for the surrounding Appalachian region and beyond, generating knowledge and tools that can be applied locally, nationally, and globally.
Image of Hurricane Helene radar imagery courtesy of NOAA.
Research Themes
The Climate System
We study the physical, chemical, biological, and human processes that shape Earth’s climate and influence water, energy, ecosystems, and infrastructure. Our teams integrate data from natural and impacted environments, improve climate projections, and develop innovative tools and models to assess risk in a rapidly changing landscape.
Compounding Risk
Natural hazards, aging infrastructure, and socioeconomic stressors often interact, creating layered risks that can have outsized impacts on communities. ICCR researchers examine how these interacting drivers shape exposure and vulnerability, providing insight into why certain communities, including those in Appalachia, experience greater consequences from complex hazard events.
Community-Driven Resilience Solutions
We work directly with communities to co-develop strategies that strengthen resilience, especially in places experiencing historic inequities. Through long-term partnerships in Appalachian counties and collaborations with groups in other regions, we support locally informed innovations that reduce risk, improve adaptive capacity, and ensure that climate solutions meaningfully benefit disadvantaged populations.
These research themes are brought to life through collaborative teams that cross disciplinary boundaries and institutional lines, including faculty from across campus, community partners, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and scientists nationwide. Together, we generate transformative science that addresses the unique climate challenges of Appalachia and beyond.
Explore our current initiatives and featured projects to see this work in action.
