Building Flood Resilience: A Panel Discussion with MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Floods are the costliest, most frequent disaster in the United States. The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimates flood damage to homes and businesses topped $8.8 billion nationwide in 2024. But long before floodwaters rise, response depends on modeling and mapping tools that predict where and how flooding will happen, and current tools have real limitations. This panel brings together state and local officials, engineering firms, researchers, and investors to discuss the limits of current flood modeling, how challenges differ between coastal and inland flooding, and where necessary investment in flood research and resilience is—and isn’t— happening today. Confirmed participants include: Heather Roiter, Deputy Commissioner, Planning & Resiliency, NYC Office of Emergency Management Doug Farnham, Chief Recovery Officer, the State of Vermont Clara Decerbo, Director, Providence Emergency Management Agency Derrick Hiebert, Infrastructure Resilience Practice Leader, AECOM Haythem Shata, Senior Engineer, Arup Julia Hopkins, Technical Staff, MIT - Lincoln Laboratory Zach Iscol, Venture Partner, Lux Capital Location: Chelsea/Meatpacking District. Exact address provided upon RSVP approval. A confirmed ticket is required for entry. No walk-ins or unregistered guests will be accommodated.