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A new era for infrastructure, whether we like it or not

Part 2 of the TED Radio Hour episode The hidden forces shaping your choices.

Our infrastructure is usually invisible. Not any more. Engineer Deb Chachra explains how climate change is forcing a global reimagining of neglected infrastructure systems.

Deb Chachra

Deb Chachra is a professor of engineering at Olin College of Engineering who focuses on infrastructure and design education. She is the author of How Infrastructure Works: Inside the Systems That Shape Our World.

She writes the newsletter Metafoundry and has written for The Atlantic, The Guardian, and Nature. Her research and ideas have been recognized and supported by awards from the Sloan Foundation, the National Science Foundation, Autodesk, and others.

This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Rachel Faulkner White and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHourand email us at [email protected].

Web Resources

Related TED Bio: Deb Chachra

Related TED Talk: Welcome to the age of the industrial internet

Related TED Playlist: How to revive a city

Related NPR Links

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TED Radio Hour: What Does Nature Teach Us About Cities?

Copyright 2025 NPR

Manoush Zomorodi
Manoush Zomorodi is the host of TED Radio Hour. She is a journalist, podcaster and media entrepreneur, and her work reflects her passion for investigating how technology and business are transforming humanity.
Rachel Faulkner White
Rachel Faulkner White is a producer and editor for TED Radio Hour.
Sanaz Meshkinpour
[Copyright 2024 NPR]

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