PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (October 29, 2025) — Noel Estwick, Ph.D., assistant professor and research scientist in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at Prairie View A&M University, has secured a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for the project “Southeast Texas Urban IFL: Equitable Solutions for Communities Caught Between Floods and Air Pollution.”
Noel Estwick, Ph.D.
The project will establish an Urban Integrated Field Lab (IFL) in Southeast Texas, focusing on the Beaumont–Port Arthur region—an area known for its petrochemical industry, frequent flooding, and high exposure to air pollution. Researchers will study how natural, human-built, and social systems interact in communities facing both acute disasters, such as hurricanes and oil spills, and chronic stressors, including urbanization, toxic emissions, and population growth.
Through a convergence of disciplines—ranging from climate science and hydrology to public health and urban planning—the project will collect and analyze new data to help predict how climate change and human activity impact the water cycle and air quality. The findings will inform the design of equitable adaptation strategies, such as green infrastructure and resilience planning, that can be applied not only in Southeast Texas but across other vulnerable Gulf Coast regions.
The DOE’s Southeast Texas Urban IFL initiative aims to co-produce knowledge with residents and local leaders, ensuring that community voices shape both the research process and the outcomes. The work emphasizes on sustainability, and capacity building, especially through citizen science and participatory research.
For Prairie View A&M University, this award strengthens the university’s leadership in environmental and climate resilience research, expands interdisciplinary collaboration, and provides new opportunities for faculty and students to engage in impactful, community-driven science.
By Joe McGinty