Public Policy Project Presentation
Annual South Florida Restoration Task Force Meeting
In Fall 2023, I was chosen to be a Hamilton Scholar: a selective opportunity for FIU Honors College student advocates seeking to make an impact in their passion areas. My unique connection to the Everglades as a South Florida resident inspired me to advocate for its restoration in the heart of our nation’s capital on behalf of FIU’s Institute of Environment. I developed a public policy project on achieving environmental resilience in the face of climate change through conservation of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem. My research explored how restoring North America’s largest subtropical wetland ecosystem is a promising approach to protecting coastal communities in South Florida from the consequences of extreme weather. Titled Restoration for Resiliency, it outlines how sustainable solutions rooted in nature are bound to safeguard Floridians from the impacts of hurricanes and flooding.
In addition, I hosted a science informative briefing and reception prior to the annual South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force meeting in partnership with the Everglades Foundation. This event encompassed an interactive discussion about Applying Adaptive Management Strategies to Coastal Resilience Projects with representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Florida Water Management District, and distinguished FIU professors at the Institute of Environment. My event gathered key players involved in restoring and protecting America’s Everglades to FIU in D.C. and I continued to represent FIU at the Department of Interior’s official task force meeting.
My time as a Hamilton Scholar not only empowered me to advocate for the restoration of a vital ecosystem but also provided the opportunity to engage directly with my community and contribute to the larger conversation on climate resilience. Through this project, I honed key skills in research, policy development, collaboration with federal stakeholders, and grassroots advocacy, all of which deepened my understanding of developing and implementing sustainable solutions to the climate crisis.