Summary

As a PhD student with a background in geography and urban planning, Nelson Adeniji’s work on the economy and household thrusts exemplifies the Hub’s interdisciplinary approach to research.

PhD Student – Economy Thrust

East Carolina University | Integrated Coastal Studies

Nelson Adeniji is originally from Ibadan, Nigeria, and currently resides in Greenville, North Carolina. He has a bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Ibadan and graduated with a master’s degree in Geography from East Carolina University (ECU), where he recently finished the first year of his PhD program in their Integrated Coastal Science program.

Tell me a little bit about your path to becoming a part of the CHEER team. Why and how did you get involved with the Hub? How long have you been a part of the team?

My journey with the Hub unofficially launched toward the end of my master’s at ECU in April 2023 when I met Dr. Meghan Millea, my current advisor and the Hub’s education director. In the Fall of 2022, I was in the process of applying for a PhD program to continue my interest in disaster studies, and Dr. Millea told me about CHEER. Out of curiosity, I read more about it and realized that the Hub consists of researchers whose previous works were pivotal during my master’s program. It seemed like a great fit for me. Once I’d been accepted into ECU’s Integrated Coastal Science program, I officially joined the Hub in September 2023.

Two of the projects you were involved in during your master’s program dovetail with the Hub’s current work. What are some of the highlights from those two projects?

During my master’s program in Geography at ECU, I worked on two projects funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). A primary objective of the first project was to understand the perspectives of local government officials regarding buyout programs in eastern North Carolina. Specifically, we conducted focus groups to help identify the challenges and advantages of these programs from public officials’ viewpoints. Alongside Dr. Millea and Dr. Jamie Kruse, another researcher on the Hub economy thrust, our research has been published in two journals: Environmental Hazards and SSM—Qualitative Research in Health. The second project, which examines the complex fiscal pathways of buyout programs in the Carolinas, is still ongoing. 

Throughout these projects, I’ve been able to participate in two facets of research. I conducted the qualitative and geographic information science (GIS) analysis in the first project and am part of the team analyzing data and preparing manuscripts in the latter. 

What has your research looked like since you joined the Hub? What are you working on now?

Working with CHEER team members has profoundly impacted my perspective on research because it has given me the opportunity to work on an interdisciplinary team and understand other researchers’ viewpoints on various subjects. I have also become invested in understanding how each thrust operates and interacts with other thrusts to form the framework.

For example, my work is at the intersection of economy and household thrusts. I am focusing on household recovery, specifically trying to understand the factors contributing to lags in household recovery and how it is conceptualized in disaster-stricken communities. The outcome of this study will help model household decision-making in the Hub’s STARR Framework (the Stakeholder-based Tool for the Analysis of Regional Risk, the computational tool that is the focus of the CHEER research). Working on two thrusts has given me a better understanding of how my research supports the Hub and fits into CHEER overall. Conducting research on an interdisciplinary team has also shown me how crucial it is to be both theoretically and methodologically proficient in these two focus areas. This kind of approach is one that helps effectively address the complex challenges of climate change. 

Overall, I hope that a deeper understanding of the recovery process will inform community engagement, economic modeling, and the development of the surveying instruments and provide information as we explore equity issues. The output of this research will play a role in the economy and household thrust models and, subsequently, the STARR framework.

What have been some of the highlights in your work since you joined CHEER?

Getting boots-on-the-ground experience has been a highlight of my research in the Hub. My fieldwork throughout eastern North Carolina and–more specifically–the Hub’s site visits to Princeville and New Bern significantly deepened my understanding of CHEER because they reminded me that our research is important and relevant. For example, I am currently reviewing the literature on factors contributing to lags in household recovery and conceptualization, and it’s easy to feel detached from the topic when you’re only reading about it. Seeing the still unrepaired dilapidated homes damaged by Hurricanes Matthew and Florence, though, reminded me of the people impacted by storms and the importance of the research we do. It was a poignant experience that has deeply affected me, but it also strengthened my resolve to explore what disaster recovery means and how it can be achieved.

What are you looking forward to in the Hub?

In the near term, I look forward to collaborating with the summer scholars and engaging in fieldwork activities. I will be serving as a cohort lead alongside two other summer scholars. Together, we will conduct semi-structured interviews with public officials, community partners, and community leaders to understand their perspectives and pathways toward coordinating and addressing lags in household recovery. The output of this research will be used to develop the survey instrument I mentioned, which will be deployed to households, including homeowners and renters. As a group, we will also be visiting communities in eastern North Carolina to conduct semi-structured interviews and focus groups with community leaders and local public officials.

How has your time in the Hub changed or influenced your work? How do you think this experience has prepared you for your career?

As I carve out my niche and develop my research agenda, the Hub has helped me view challenges or situations holistically and see the bigger picture. In my work, I’ve learned to examine how each piece fits into the overall challenge to better understand the circumstances. My overall career goal is to engage in applied research in disaster mitigation and recovery, with the aim of enhancing community resilience and optimizing policy effectiveness. I believe the experiences I’ve had in the Hub so far are preparing me for my future goals and, of course, helping communities, states, and nations navigate their disaster recovery plans. 

What do you like to do for fun outside of work? Is there anything about you that might surprise readers?

I like driving, especially alone. I drove 17 hours to Arkansas from North Carolina. Driving alone allows me to reflect on my actions and plan what to do next. Also, I love watching football (only Americans call it soccer), and my favorite club is Manchester United. I have been a fan for 18 years, and I love it.