Environmental & Ecology Projects
FIRE Foundry
Dr. Azwell, Dr. Dimon, and Sukh Singh along with Chief Jason Weber launched an innovative program, FIRE Foundry, that is revolutionizing the way we approach wildfire prevention. The program's objective is to train and empower underrepresented and underfunded community members in Marin County and the Bay Area to become a science and technology-savvy, community-oriented wildfire prevention workforce. The program provides job training and skills development for full-time work at Marin Fire and Conservation Corps North Bay.
FIRE Foundry is in its pilot year and is getting ready to launch the second cohort of soon-to-be firefighters who will be kick starting their own path to a sustainable wage career in fire service.
Deploying Unmanned Surface Vessels (USV) in Tubbataha Reefs National Park, Boracay Island, and Bolinao
Tubbataha Reef National Park, a no-take Marine Protected Area in the Sulu Sea, is a haven for biodiversity, but has seen a decline in coral reef health over the past three decades due to human activities such as dynamite fishing, cyanide fishing, collection of aquarium fish, and large anchor casting. The park's remote location is a double-edged sword, protecting it from coastal externalities, but making it harder to monitor and protect.
Disaster Lab is working with the University of the Philippines and the Philippine-California Advanced Research Institutes to utilize Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) for environmental monitoring and maritime surveillance in the marine park. We obtain high-resolution spatial and temporal data of physicochemical parameters during the dry and wet months of the year. Specifically, we aim to:
- Characterize surface water properties and circulation patterns within the park, especially during off-season months.
- Demonstrate the surveillance capabilities of the USVs by performing regular transects of Jessie Beazley Reef.
By using state-of-the-art technology, we aim to assist the Tubbataha Management Office in effectively monitoring and preventing violations of MPA policies, thus helping protect and conserve this precious marine environment for future generations.
Construction Materials & Technology Projects
PEER-UC Berkeley Lab
Disaster Lab is facilitating research projects in partnership with Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center to find new applications for upcycling recyclable materials, such as expanded polystyrene.
Fire Resistant Building Materials
As fire risk continues to grow, Disaster Lab studies and advocates for the utilization of the best available materials for infrastructure to protect families, communities, and property from the threat of fire.
Gridware and Powerlines
Gridware is deploying a powerline integrity monitor on power poles in high fire-risk areas in the United States. We facilitate research and data collection opportunities for their technology team.
Energy Technology Development Projects
