This proposal builds on the GEO-STEM Learning ecosystem implemented by Environment and Education in coordination with community partners and AGU staff during the December 2020 Centennial in San Francisco and the Fall 2020 AGU virtual meeting.

Environment & Education will coordinate with our New Orleans community partners and Louisiana government and educational contacts to organize local geoscience students representing the regions diverse and vibrant communities to run a full day of technical sessions, preferably over the course of three days and workforce diversity leadership Town Halls meetings and Workshops at AGU’s 2021 meeting.

We propose to offer a full day of combined of in-person and virtual session. Student-interns from the greater New Orleans area will lead technical sessions on geoscience careers related to sustainable resilient infrastructure coupled with leadership Town Halls on increasing the diversity of the geoscience profession. We expect that many local leaders from Louisiana will participate in the live sessions. Some, like Karl Reid, the former Exec. Director of the National Society of Black Engineers and Cheryl Davis, Exec. Director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission will participate virtually.

We would like to reserve three, three-hour blocks on Tuesday (12/14/21), Wednesday (12/15/21) and Thursday (12/16/21) for back-to-back geotechnical presentations and Workforce Leadership Town Halls.

Over the past several years, through Environment and Education’s EPICnetwork.org project – and in collaboration with the New Orleans-based Limitless Vistas, Inc. coastal conservation training non-profit – has built strong working relationships with governments, educators and private industry employers throughout Louisiana and nationwide. Our geoscience ecosystem brings young adults into working relationships with our nationwide network of practicing geoscientists, workforce leaders and emerging professionals in the government, academic, non-profit and private industry sectors.

Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the City of New Orleans faced a daunting challenge: how to protect this “Bowl City” which is surrounded by water on three sides by the Mississippi River, Lake Pontchartrain (part of the Mississippi Delta) and the Gulf of Mexico. a complex network of federal, state and local agencies have collaborated and invested over $14 billion to install a world-class resilient infrastructure system. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the 1.8-mile-long Lake Borgne surge barrier, largest continuous surge barrier in the world and a network of stormwater pumping stations, including the $615 million, 17^th Avenue Permanent Canal and Closures Pump Station which was completed in December 2017.

The Louisiana Coastal Protection Resource Authority is in the process of issuing contracts to spend over $2 billion for coastal marsh restoration throughout the Mississippi Delta. Additionally, the City of New Orleans is planning to spend over $400 million in green and resilient infrastructure.