The Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center supports science to help both natural and cultural resources adapt to a changing climate. Our January Science Seminar will focus on the cultural resources side of this mission.
Dr. Michael Aiuvalasit of the Illinois State Archaeological Survey will present findings from a newly published report on the impacts of climate change to heritage resources in Illinois. Aiuvalasit's team integrated the latest in climate modeling with databases of historical resources to examine how accelerated soil erosion, flooding, and changes to development patterns will affect cultural resources, such as Indigenous ancestral sites, historic districts, and National Register of Historic Places-listed sites.
Speaker
Michael Aiuvalasit
Dr. Michael Aiuvalasit serves as a Research Scientist at the Illinois State Archaeological Survey, part of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois. His work as an environmental archaeologist focuses on how social institutions, built infrastructure, and land management practices influenced the resilience of communities to climate change in the past. He also explores how historic preservation can protect these stories of adaptation into the future.
This is the first installment in our winter Science Seminar series. Sign up for the MW CASC newsletter to be notified of all upcoming events.