When people, businesses, cities, and countries plan for the future, they often face a paralyzing dilemma: how to choose the best combination of actions when the future is deeply uncertain. That’s particularly true when it comes to the weather and climate: sea levels, rainfall intensity, and public preferences may all shift within a decade. Yet infrastructure decisions — such as whether to build a seawall or invest in relocation — must be made today, often with multi-billion-dollar consequences. Decision-makers often turn to models to evaluate scenarios and risk, but many focus on technical feasibility (like whether a seawall can withstand a storm) while overlooking whether those solutions make sense for real communities with diverse needs, limited budgets, and competing goals.

Assistant Professor Yuki Miura of NYU Tandon’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the Center for Urban Science + Progress specializes in risk analysis for natural and climate-related hazards. She combines engineering simulations leveraging state-of-the-art AI and stochastic methods, socioeconomic data, and stakeholder preferences to help both communities and decision-makers visualize risk and develop actionable solutions.