Related News for Serena Alexander

What Severe South American Quakes Teach Us About West Coast Disaster Readiness

Following a devastating doublet earthquake in Venezuela, Northeastern structural and resilience experts are urging California to bolster its preparedness for a future major rupture along the San Andreas Fault. Interim Dean Jerome Hajjar and CSSH/CEE Associate Professor Serena Alexander highlight that true mitigation requires addressing vulnerabilities across both interconnected physical infrastructure networks and local neighborhood emergency support systems.

Evaluating the Limits of Modern Traffic Metrics

CSSH/CEE Associate Professor Serena Alexander conducts research finding that while the new “vehicle miles traveled” (VMT) metric is an improved way to evaluate a development’s environmental impact, its success is limited by a lack of tool standardization, legal precedent, and community equity.

Bridging Engineering and Policy Through Climate Finance

Aayushi Mishra, PhD ’28, civil and environmental engineering, researches how climate change affects the municipal bond market, with the goal of disrupting what she calls the “Climate Debt Doom Loop.” After graduation, she plans to return to industry to continue working on behalf of communities most affected by climate change.

The Connection Between the Urban Heat Island Effect and Highway Construction

Recent research from CSSH/CEE Associate Professor Serena Alexander explains the impact of highway construction on urban “heat islands” and proposes initiatives to mitigate the consequential uptick in temperature from these projects.

New Research Offers Insight on Barriers and Developments to Reduce Car Emissions in California

CSSH/CEE Associate Professor Serena Alexander co-authored a new study exploring how to make environmentally conscious transit decisions across five regional metropolitan areas in California. The study reveals the necessity of cooperation between state, regional, and local entities and the barriers they come across when coordinating new plans.  

time-lapse of a highway; the left is white from the headlights and the right is red from taillights

Strategies for Reducing Transportation Emissions

CSSH/CEE Associate Professor Serena Alexander’s research, “What Tackles Vehicle GHG Emissions in California: Regional Plan Adoption or Local Leadership?” published in the journal Sustainability finds climate planning strategies are more successful with local and regional action, and with all different levels of government.

What Recent Bridge Closures Reveal About Our Transportation Infrastructure

CSSH/CEE Associate Professor Serena Alexander explains the importance of a resilient transportation system amidst the many recent bridge closures. She says that the infrastructure needs to be more accessible while many of these bridges undergo repairs.

Shifting to High-Speed Rail in the U.S. for a Decarbonized Future

CSSH/CEE Associate Professor Serena Alexander explains the necessary efforts and investments in rail infrastructure to introduce eco-friendly high-speed rail in the U.S.

Serena Alexander

New Faculty Spotlight: Serena Alexander

Serena Alexander joins the Civil and Environmental Engineering department in January 2024 as an Associate Professor with a joint appointment in the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs.