Almost every major system we rely on seems to be vulnerable to cyberattacks from scammers, criminals, and nation states threatening our national security. Reports of cyberattacks disrupting and even destroying critical infrastructure systems are increasingly common.

To understand the cyber risks that threaten our essential service systems and how we can defend against them, we talk with Gregory Falco, Assistant Professor in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University and Director of the Aerospace ADVERSARY Laboratory, which designs and develops next-generation autonomous, secure and resilient space infrastructure.

Energy from wind and solar sources is available when nature permits, but the demand for energy is based on the cyclical needs of people and their activities. To make renewable energy work, and to manage the normal daily mismatches between supply and demand, we need to shift energy in time from when it is available to when it is needed. That calls for grid-scale storage.

To explain large-scale energy storage strategies, we talk with Nate Blair, group manager of distributed systems and storage analysis at the USDOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado.

In very cold places, like Alaska, Northern parts of Canada and Europe, building infrastructure means building on permafrost, perennially frozen ground. Permafrost provides reliable foundations for buildings and highways as long as it remains frozen. But warming temperatures driven by climate change may threaten existing and new infrastructure founded on permafrost.

To help us understand the problems and potential solutions in this dynamic risk environment, we talk with Billy Connor, Director of the Arctic Infrastructure Development Center at the University of Alaska.

Spectacular bridges can be focal points of their host cities, reminding us that unique infrastructure can also be unique art. Lighting those bridges can carry their aesthetic value into the night. In 2013, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge was illuminated with a 25,000-LED dynamic display called The Bay Lights, and its public appeal kept it lighted until 2023.

In this podcast we talk with Ben Davis, Founder of Illuminate, which developed the Bay Lights plan, about the original concept, some of the challenges of lighting massive structures, and plans for its future.

The Port of Duluth-Superior, located at the western end of Lake Superior, is a national and international cargo hub, serving the Great Lakes and, through the St. Lawrence Seaway, the rest of the world. It supports flows of bulk cargoes such as grain, iron ore and coal, and project cargo – large construction equipment.

To learn about its unique role in logistics and the challenges it faces when winter sets in, we talk with Deb DeLuca, Executive Director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority.

Some U.S. Cities are taking back streets from exclusive use by motor vehicles to protect and prioritize vulnerable road users – pedestrians and bicyclists – and to enhance neighborhood livability. This process is advanced under the banner of Complete Streets, streets designed and operated for all users. Atlanta, Georgia’s variation is called Tactical Urbanism, a low-cost, quick-build approach designed to change the overall use and feel of streets and public spaces.

To learn how Atlanta uses tactical urbanism, we talk with Betty Smoot-Madison, Deputy Commissioner of Planning for the Atlanta Department of Transportation.

PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, the forever chemicals, are commonly used as protective coatings because they resist heat, stains and water. Because PFAS do not normally degrade in the environment, when products containing them are discarded, they become nearly ubiquitous pollutants in our water supply. Can they be removed? If so, how can we do it and what will it cost?

To get answers to these questions, we talk with Mohamed Ateia Ibrahim, Environmental Engineer and Group Leader at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response.

On June 11, 2023, a gasoline truck caught fire under I-95 in Philadelphia, essentially melting a major section of the primary roadway through the center of the Northeast Corridor. Facing what looked like a months-long reconstruction process, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation assembled a quick action team to implement an extraordinary repair effort, built on interagency cooperation and a unique recycled material, restoring I-95 to full use in only 12 days.

Telling us about this quick rebuild is Lou Belmonte, District Executive for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Fluctuations in water levels on our inland waterways system can affect the movement of bulk freight, particularly agricultural products. Low waters, as occurred in the fall of 2022 on the lower Mississippi River, limited the flow of freight and increased shipper costs.

To learn more about the causes, consequences, and responses to such disruptions, we’re talking with Mike Steenhoek, Executive Director of the Soy Transportation Coalition. Mike is a member of the Department of Commerce Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness, the Transportation Research Board Committee on Inland Water Transportation, and the Iowa Department of Transportation Freight Advisory Council.

The 150-year-old Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel, Amtrak’s oldest, carries traffic for Amtrak, the Maryland Area Rail Commuter (MARC) Service, as well as Norfolk Southern freight operations. This tunnel is a major bottleneck for Northeast corridor rail traffic, and Amtrak is rebuilding it and adding a new, passenger-only tunnel named after abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

In this podcast we learn about this large program from Mark Milton, Senior Director, Capital Delivery for Amtrak, who is managing final design and construction for the overall program. Mark’s a civil engineer with many years of experience in design.

[Correction to interview conversation: all railroad grades on this project are less than 2.0%]

US railroads are highly efficient at moving freight. Indeed, our freight rail system is the envy of the world, but sometimes accidents occur. When train derailments occur, the outcome is usually minor, but occasionally more serious problems arise.

To understand the causes and prevention of train derailments, we’re talking with Dr. Allan Zarembski, Professor of Practice and Director of the Railroad Engineering and Safety Program at the University of Delaware. He’s an expert on railroad track engineering, safety, and derailment analysis.