More than 35 faculty, students, and staff from Stony Brook University recently visited Long Beach and the Rockaways on Long Island to study how local communities are addressing climate-related challenges. The group examined new infrastructure projects, coastal engineering initiatives, and community-focused development efforts that aim to strengthen resilience in areas vulnerable to severe weather.
Long Beach, a city of about 33,000 residents located on a barrier island, was heavily impacted by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. According to Heather Lynch, director of Stony Brook’s Collaborative for the Earth (C4E), the city now serves as a model for coastal resilience. Participants reviewed two major infrastructure projects that are changing how the community responds to future storms and flooding.
The Bay Park Conveyance Project is considered one of the largest improvements to wastewater infrastructure in the region. Another significant project focuses on safeguarding utilities and essential services within the city. These efforts demonstrate a broad approach to climate adaptation that moves beyond simply restoring what was damaged.
“These are more than just engineering projects,” said Lynch, who is also an endowed chair for ecology and evolution at the Institute for Advanced Computation Science (IACS). “They’re about reimagining how coastal communities can survive and thrive in an era of rising seas and intensifying storms.”
The team also visited RISE Rockaway in Far Rockaway, where L&M Development Partners has developed a mixed-use complex combining affordable housing with retail spaces and other amenities. This initiative offers a new approach to post-disaster recovery by focusing on both physical resilience and social equity.
During their visit along restored sections of beach planted with native vegetation, participants observed nature-based solutions intended to reduce erosion while providing storm protection without limiting public access. They compared these strategies with those used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which reinforced lower beach areas with large quantities of sand.
The field trip included students from multiple disciplines such as urban planning, environmental science, art, sociology, atmospheric sciences, and public policy—reflecting the diverse issues facing these communities. Urban planning students considered development patterns affecting vulnerability; environmental science students analyzed ecological impacts; artists and social scientists looked at how identity is maintained through change.
Adam Charboneau from the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences commented on seeing real-world applications: “First and foremost, you see people in action, so it’s not just an idea,” he said. “It’s real people doing real things in their communities. You also see all the nuances that don’t come through in classroom discussions.”
Charboneau further noted that sustainability planning involves balancing economic growth, environmental health, and fairness: “One thing we always focus on in sustainability or sustainable planning are these three ‘Es’ or three pillars: economic growth, environmental health, and equity and fairness,” he said. “Those things are hard to align…and you see ways in which community groups are trying to navigate those conflicts to some greater alignment.”
He gave Long Beach’s dune system as an example—protecting natural resources while raising property values but potentially blocking ocean views for some residents due to high dunes or elevated structures: “You see these trade-offs playing out in real time,” he added.
Sustainability student Akshay Illiparambil remarked on the complexity involved: “You can design the perfect system on paper, but when you see the actual coastline and understand the community dynamics, you realize how many variables you have to account for,” he said.
Debates continue over whether hard infrastructure like seawalls or nature-based solutions should be prioritized—and how decisions affect access or affordability for different neighborhoods.
Manisha Desai from Stony Brook’s Center for Changing Systems of Power emphasized interdisciplinary collaboration: “Engineers need to understand social dynamics. Social scientists need to grasp technical constraints. Everyone needs to think about equity and justice.”
Heather Lynch concluded by noting that these issues are close at hand: “These aren’t distant, abstract problems. They’re unfolding right now…in communities where real people are making difficult decisions about their future,” she said.
