Sarah Combs

Sarah (she/her) recently graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BSPH in Environmental Health Sciences and a minor in Arabic. Her position as a Social Connectedness Fellow is working in tandem with the Data-Driven EnviroLab (DDL) at UNC, an organization focused on utilizing data to understand the intersectionality between environment, health, and justice. She is excited for the opportunity to collaborate with the DDL team and other fellows and to apply her public health background to her work.

Report

Exploration of the Vulnerabilities of Urban Flooding in the Age of Climate Change

Urban flooding occurs when intense rainfall overwhelms drainage systems in highly developed areas, leading to economic, environmental, and human impacts. This complex issue is expected to worsen due to population growth, urbanization, and climate change. This report examines urban flooding risk factors—hazards, exposure, and vulnerabilities—through the case study of Hurricane Harvey’s impact on Houston in 2017. Both geographic and human factors shape flooding outcomes.

The Data-Driven Envirolab (DDL), based at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, is an interdisciplinary research group utilizing innovative data analytics to address contemporary environmental challenges. The lab collaborates with scholars and policymakers globally to strengthen environmental policy through evidence-based approaches and information transparency.