Rewa Phansalkar (M.R.P. ’21) stayed local this summer and is interning with the New York State Water Resources Institute (WRI). Housed within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell, Rewa is supporting the institute’s work involving water infrastructure and management projects throughout New York.
“My work with them this summer focuses on adaptation planning for the Lake Ontario Shoreline, and understanding barriers that local governments face in adopting adaptation strategies for dealing with Lake Level Variability that is exacerbated by climate change.”
Rewa is working on mapping and categorizing shoreline protection structures through GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and using these resources to create a scenario planning model that predicts flooding in this shoreline region as a result of wave overtopping.
Given the remote setting of the internship position, Rewa felt she’s been supported through the expansive structure of the internship program. She and other WRI interns participate in different programming and events each month, comprising of participating in webinars on water, watching documentaries on Netflix, and doing virtual tours of infrastructure facilities, including the Wastewater Treatment Plant in Ithaca.
In addition to the virtual programming from WRI, the remote nature of Rewa’s summer has also allowed her to focus on other work commitments, as well as balancing leisure in her schedule. “I also get to work on other projects, as well as spend a lot of time outdoors, enjoying the summer!”
Through this internship, Rewa shares she’s getting a lot of great insight into areas she’s been interested in exploring through the planning field. “I’ve been interested in coastal adaptation, green infrastructure, ecosystem-based management, and indigenous practices for a while now, and want to explore these topics further through my exit project.”
Rewa joined the Cornell M.R.P. program after receiving her Bachelor of Architecture from the Rachana Sansad Academy of Architecture in Mumbai, India. She spent time before returning to school, working on architecture projects throughout the Mumbai region, ranging from large-scale residential and commercial projects.