Tackling Flooding in NJ Communities

Agenda Highlights

• 12:00 – 1:00 PM: Registration, Meet & Greet, and Lunch
• 1:00 – 1:05 PM: Program Overview — Michel C. Boufadel, Director, CNR
• 1:05 – 1:10 PM: Welcoming Remarks — Teik Lim, President, NJIT
• 1:10 – 1:20 PM: Keynote — Patrick Callahan, Superintendent, NJ State Police
• 1:20 – 1:30 PM: Remarks — Christopher Testa, Mitigation Manager, NJ OEM
• 1:30 – 1:40 PM: Community Insight — Robert Hoffmann, City Manager, Englewood
• 1:40 – 2:10 PM: Open Discussion
• 2:10 – 2:20 PM: Closing Remarks

Why Attend?

Flooding continues to be one of the most pressing threats to New Jersey communities, affecting lives, infrastructure, and economies. This workshop is your chance to:

• Gain insights from top experts in flood risk assessment, emergency response, and resilient urban planning.
• Network with key stakeholders including city officials, engineers, researchers, and private sector leaders.
• Explore real-world solutions through interactive discussions focused on current challenges and best practices in flood mitigation.
• Learn about funding opportunities and policy frameworks that support community preparedness and infrastructure upgrades.
• Be part of the conversation shaping the future of environmental resilience in New Jersey and beyond.

Who Should Attend?

This event is tailored for anyone working to build safer, more flood-resilient communities:

• Mayors, city managers, and council members
• Emergency and disaster preparedness professionals
• Urban and environmental planners
• Engineers and infrastructure consultants
• Academic researchers and students in sustainability and civil engineering
• Water resource managers and utility companies
• Environmental NGOs and policy advocates

Confirmed Participants

Leaders from cities such as Englewood, Bergenfield, Cresskill, Paterson, Newark, and more will be in attendance.
Academic institutions include NJIT, Rutgers, Princeton, and Stevens.
Private sector attendees include Langan Engineering, HDR, AECOM, Veolia, and American Water — all collaborating to address one of New Jersey's most urgent environmental issues.

About the Center for Natural Resources (CNR)

The Center for Natural Resources (CNR) at NJIT is a hub for applied research in hazard mitigation, sustainable resource management, and community resilience. The Center's work spans:

• Large-scale disaster modeling and response planning
• Remediation of pollution and environmental hazards
• Assessment of renewable energy potential in natural systems
• Deployment of advanced sensor networks and field measurements
• Research published in top-tier journals including Nature Geosciences and Environmental Science & Technology

CNR collaborates with federal agencies, industry partners, and local governments to bridge scientific innovation with actionable, community-level impact.

Stay updated on CNR's initiatives here.