Technical Tour and Volunteer Opportunity

Hurricane Katrina Tour of New Orleans

Thursday, March 13, 2008

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m

Get a firsthand look at the effects of Hurricane Katrina during a day-tour of New Orleans and its surroundings. The tour, sponsored by the Geo-Institute, is open to you and your guests.

Guides from the local engineering community will discuss the Katrina damage, the city’s recovery from the floods that followed the storms, and what New Orleans can teach us about disappearing coastal wetlands,- oil and gas pipe-lines, levee protection and hurricane destruction.

But there’s much more to New Orleans than storm damage and engineering case studies. Local experts will introduce you to the enduring cultural attractions of New Orleans, the land of Mardi Gras, music festivals, and world-class seafood.

What you will hear:
Nuclear Density Demo
  • Technical briefings about engineering matters at critical locations in the city
  • Cultural descriptions by people who know the city well
  • An eyewitness account of the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent flooding, including a chronology of events before and after the storm
  • The history of the original city and why it was built at this particular location along the Mississippi River

What you will see:

  • The 17th Canal Street Levee breakage site, the London Avenue Levee breakage site, the most affected sites of the Lower Ninth Ward and the Upper Ninth Ward
  • The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, the historic French Quarter, and more
  • Neighborhoods such as Lakeview, Gentilly, and New Orleans East
  • The colorful Musicians’ Village being constructed by Habitat for Humanity in the Upper Ninth Ward
  • The Port of New Orleans, -- the second largest port in the country
Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Construction Project

Friday, March 14, 2008

7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

After attending the conference and enjoying the sights of New Orleans, you can give back to the city that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina by participating in this volunteer workday with the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity (NOAHH). You will help build new homes for low-income families from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Transportation from the conference hotel to the work site and lunch will be provided.

For more information, contact Beth Gross at bgross@geosyntec.com.

(Sign up soon, as the project will be limited to 50 participants.)