Austin Hsu completed the Envision Resilience Narragansett Bay Challenge in 2022 and changed his career plans to return to Taiwan as a city planner. In January 2023, he and the other students in the Challenge won the Rhode Island APA student awards for their work. In this article, he describes his artistic process to create his unique designs for Warren, RI. From drawing most of his designs by hand to including a unique comic strip, Austin’s creativity is undeniable.

Residents of the coastal town of Warren, Rhode Island, experience daily reminders of sea level rise, and now a mural, painted by artist Josie Morway, inspired by the writings of novelist Elizabeth Rush and supported by public art organization The Avenue Concept, reminds them as well.

Bob Rulli has been a critical partner, advisor and ally throughout the duration of the 2022 Envision Resilience Narragansett Bay Challenge. Both a planner and a leader on the front lines of climate change, Bob initiated the Market to Metacom Climate Resilience and Economic Development Plan. I recently sat down with Bob to talk about the impact that working with design students, as well as students across disciplines, can have on a community facing challenging decisions around issues related to climate change