Hurricane Katrina and the Northern Rivers Floods may have happened over a decade apart and on opposite sides of the world. But the disasters have a lot in common. New Orleans and Lismore found themselves caught in the eye of the storm when the cities, both located for prosperity around a major waterway but on compromised ground, were inundated by water and devastated in the process.

The other thing these disasters have in common are Elizabeth Mossop and Dan Etheridge. The academics met in New Orleans at a two-day symposium called ‘Reinhabiting NOLA’ in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Mossop was instrumental in the creation of the Coastal Sustainability Studio at Louisiana State University, a multi-disciplinary research laboratory that has been profoundly influential in the direction of Louisiana’s efforts in resilience planning and design. Etheridge worked for Tulane University helping to establish applied research coastal restoration programs.

The two clicked and stayed in close contact, but they could never have imagined they’d end up working together, using their research and experiences in New Orleans to help plan a thriving future for Lismore following the floods. Together, at Living Lab Northern Rivers, they’re doing just that.

Listen in as Vince, Elizabeth and Dan discuss; how growing up with science-obsessed fathers shaped them, experiencing New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and why we need to do things fundamentally differently to thrive in our changing world.

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