In Downeast Maine, we’re introducing students to the rapidly changing technology involved in emergency management. This technology includes apps and sensors for assessing the medical status of victims in the field, using heat mapping to find lost people, and employing GIS to plan evacuation routes in the event of a flood. Many jobs in this field need only a 2 year degree, and high school kids seem quite interested, judging from involvement in Teen Science Cafes on this topic.
Are any of you doing this kind of work? If so, how are you working with your communities, with community colleges, and with technology companies? We’d be interested in some collaborations here, especially given NSF’s interest in Smart and Connected Communities.