Researchers from MIT’s Urban Risk Lab piloted a free online tool that crowdsources social media posts to map flood conditions during Hurricane Irma, writes Frankie Schembri for NOVA Next. “Residents often have the best information about the situation near them,” explains research scientist Tomas Holderness, “and we now have the network to be able to collect information.”
Francis O'Sullivan, director of research at the MIT Energy Initiative, speaks with Emre Kelly of USA Today about the value of microgrids in increasing resilience to natural disasters. O’Sullivan says that the Caribbean islands impacted by hurricanes Irma and Maria should “look to integrate today’s newer technologies and not simply rebuild the old system we had.”
Boston Herald reporters Jack Encarnacao and Marie Szaniszlo write that students from the MIT Mexican Association have developed a website to help Mexicans impacted by last week’s earthquake. The students are mapping “the GPS coordinates of places where locals can report specific needs, so assistance can be targeted.”
On PRI's "The World," Francis O'Sullivan, director of research for MITEI, explains how microgrids can help make the electric grid more resilient against mass blackouts in future natural disasters like Hurricane Irma.