Rachel Duthu is Masters student at Tulane University, studying river-coastal science and engineering, with a focus on how physical and ecological characteristics differ among wetlands of different ages restored using dredged sediment material on the South Louisiana coast.
Rachel’s science outreach project brought coastal resilience to life for elementary students through hands-on, creative problem-solving. Partnering with her university’s K–12 science program, she led interactive activities where students built miniature coastal habitats using sand, small houses, trees, rocks, and play dough. Each group designed and tested their own defenses to “protect the houses” from simulated hurricanes—using water to mimic storm surge and a hairdryer to recreate powerful winds. Rooted in her lived experience in New Orleans, where hurricanes and coastal change were part of everyday reality, Rachel’s project helped students connect science concepts to real-world challenges while encouraging teamwork, creativity, and resilience.
