Resilient305 Collaborative Marks New Phase of Community-Driven Resilience Research at the International Center for Tropical Botany at The Kampong During Miami Climate Week

The special event highlighted the beta launch of a new website, expanded partnerships and tools to connect community organizations with resilience research

Community leaders, university researchers, public officials and nonprofit partners recently gathered at the International Center for Tropical Botany (ICTB) at The Kampong for “Impact in Action: Community Meets Research,” a Miami Climate Week event spotlighting a new phase of climate resilience collaboration in Greater Miami and The Beaches. 

The event was hosted in partnership with Miami Climate 365, a year-round initiative focused on strengthening community-driven efforts to address environmental challenges across Miami-Dade County, and the Resilient305 Collaborative, a university-led initiative that connects academic research with community priorities and public-sector resilience efforts. It brought together partners including Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami, the City of Miami Beach, The CLEO Institute, Miami Waterkeeper and Catalyst Miami, alongside academic institutions to highlight the ongoing work of the Collaborative, marking the public preview of the Collaborative’s new website.

The Resilient305 Collaborative‘s website, currently in beta version, serves as a central hub for information about its mission, research model, partners and opportunities for collaboration. It includes access to the Miami Resilience Meter, a new online dashboard that maps resilience conditions across more than 190 neighborhoods in Miami-Dade County using 35 indicators spanning environmental, social and infrastructure-related factors. The site is designed to provide a more visible and accessible platform to help community-based organizations, researchers and civic leaders better connect around resilience challenges and solutions.

“Resilience work is strongest when it reflects both lived experience and credible, place-based data,” said Dr. Amy Clement, Co-Director, Resilient305 Collaborative. “Our goal is to ensure that the work happening across Miami-Dade is informed by both, so that research not only deepens understanding, but helps drive meaningful, community-informed solutions.”

“Strong partnerships and shared commitment is what define lasting resilience,” said Dr. Tiffany Troxler, Co-Director, Resilient305 Collaborative. “The new website and public facing Miami Resilience Meter will help expand awareness of this work while creating more opportunities to engage and collaborate with community partners.”

Miami Climate Week, the signature annual program of Miami Climate 365, features a series of convenings from across sectors to showcase community-driven climate action across Miami-Dade County. Miami Climate 365 is a collective impact initiative that works to connect organizations, institutions and community leaders, helping facilitate collaboration, communication and access to data that advance practical climate solutions and strengthen resilience across the region.

“Climate resilience does not happen in silos,” said David Duckenfield, executive director of Miami Climate 365. “What makes this work meaningful is the way it brings together researchers, community-based organizations and public-sector leaders around a shared goal: producing knowledge that is not only rigorous, but useful. Our role, at Miami Climate 365, is to help connect the dots, ensuring that this work is more visible, more accessible and better aligned across sectors so it can translate into real impact.”

The Collaborative has advanced a model of community-engaged resilience research that brings together universities, nonprofits and public-sector stakeholders to study local challenges and generate findings that can inform real-world action. That model is designed to move beyond traditional academic research by involving community organizations throughout the process to inform data collection and apply findings.

During the “Impact in Action” event, speakers discussed how that model has already supported projects addressing issues such as air quality, flooding, heat and neighborhood vulnerability, and how stronger coordination can help expand the impact of future research efforts. Opening remarks were delivered by Duckenfield, followed by remarks from Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and City of Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins, who highlighted how resilience research is already informing local policy and investment decisions across the region.

Resilient305 Collaborative co-directors Tiffany Troxler of Florida International University (FIU) and Amy Clement of the University of Miami (UM) presented examples of resilience research in action and introduced the Collaborative’s evolution and next phase. The program concluded with a call-to-action inviting community-based organizations, public agencies and stakeholders to engage with the Collaborative, test the beta tools and explore opportunities to participate in future resilience research initiatives.

The beta launch of the new website of the Resilient305 Collaborative represents an important first step by giving the Collaborative a clearer public presence and making its work easier to access, understand and build upon. Miami Climate 365 supported the development of the site as part of its role in helping translate, visualize, and amplify resilience research for broader community use.

The Miami Resilience Meter, now linked through the site, is intended to support longer-term measurement of resilience conditions across neighborhoods over time. Organizers said future updates are expected to incorporate more recent data, helping create a stronger basis for comparison and decision-making in the years ahead.

Additional information about Miami Climate Week is available at MiamiClimate365.com.

About the Resilient305 Collaborative

The Resilient305 Collaborative is a cross-sector partnership led by UM and FIU faculty that connects climate resilience research with community nonprofits, public officials, and regional stakeholders. Through the Collaborative, researchers work with community organizations to co-produce resilience research that reflects local knowledge and neighborhood priorities. The initiative helps translate climate science into practical tools and policy insights that support responses to rising heat, flooding, and other climate risks facing Greater Miami and The Beaches.

About Miami Climate 365

Miami Climate 365 (MC365) is a year-round initiative focused on strengthening community-driven efforts to address environmental challenges across Miami-Dade County. This results-oriented collaboration seeks to unite stakeholders around a shared vision for tackling local issues like water and air quality, while actively engaging residents in practical solutions. Miami Climate Week serves as the flagship event of the MC365 initiative, showcasing progress and inspiring action.

About Miami Climate Week 

Miami Climate Week is the signature event of the Miami Climate 365 initiative, designed to inspire and mobilize community-driven climate action across Miami-Dade County. This annual event brings together leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, along with residents, to collaborate on innovative solutions to the region’s most pressing climate challenges. Through engaging workshops and community activities, Miami Climate Week fosters cross-sectoral partnerships and builds a shared vision for a sustainable and resilient future. It underscores the commitment to year-round action and long-term impact.th