Community-based research, service confab hosted by TTC March 19-22

University educators from across the nation will reveal how their research and service projects are enhancing communities and providing transformative learning experiences for students during the 2017 [Sustainable City Year Conference] (http://www.epicn.org/annualconference/) , slated March 19–22 at Texas A&M University.

Sponsored by [Texas Target Communities] (http://ttc.arch.tamu.edu) , a research and outreach arm of the Texas A&M College of Architecture, this year’s conference marks sixth annual gathering of the [Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities Network] (http://www.epicn.org) . The group is composed of educators and representatives from public and private organizations whose collaborative projects assist communities with issues they often lack the resources to address.

Online registration for the conference, to be held at the Texas A&M [Memorial Student Center] (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Memorial+Student+Center,+College+Station,+TX+77840/@30.6122896,-96.34366,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x86468398550f7f1d:0x9dc3b5de86caa9a4!8m2!3d30.6123645!4d-96.3414834) and the [Cavalry Court Hotel] (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cavalry+Court/@30.626577,-96.33966,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x1995e19207098f12!8m2!3d30.626577!4d-96.33966) , is available via the conference [website] (http://www.epicn.org/annualconference/) .

“Conference goers will discuss the strengths and challenges of their projects and brainstorm strategies for making these enterprises stronger, students’ experiences better, and communities more resilient and sustainable,” said Jaimie Masterson, TTC coordinator.

Masterson and fellow TTC researchers will discuss a project involving students at Furr High School, which serves an impoverished, industrial area of Houston. TTC faculty and graduate students are teaching Furr students how to map and test the toxicity of storm floodwaters, assess the quality of the community’s drainage infrastructure and gather data to inform infrastructure development, community design options and municipal planning.

In turn, TTC scholars are using the students’ project data to inform their hazard and sustainability-related research.

Other conference presentations will include experts in community engagement, panel discussions by coordinators of university-community partnerships, and program funding strategies.