This seminar will identify lessons learned from natural hazard experiences to help communities plan for and adapt to climate change. Case studies examine diverse experiences, from severe storms to sea-level related hazards and droughts. Lessons learned are grouped according to four imperatives: (i) Develop collaborative governance networks; (ii) build adaptive capabilities; (iii) invest in pre-event planning; and (iv) the moral imperative to undertake adaptive actions that advance resilience and sustainability.

Dr. Gavin Smith is the Director of the Department of Homeland Security's Coastal Resilience Center of Excellence, a consortium of universities located across the country. He is currently engaged in a number of planning and policy-related research projects within the center including a national evaluation of local and state hazard mitigation plans and an assessment of the role governors and state agency officials play in disaster recovery. Dr. Smith has published numerous book chapters, peer-reviewed journal articles, and technical reports addressing a range of topics including hazard mitigation, disaster recovery, and climate change adaptation. He received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from Texas A&M University. Dr. Smith is a Research Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

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