Katrina Rebuilding Efforts Utilize ITM Know-how (continued)

The project will help assist the work of teams of volunteers from Hands on USA, who are working on house interiors, outside cleanup, tree removal, tarping roofs and most significantly, mold remediation. The improved database tracks more than reconstruction projects. Tara explained, “It’s a good resource to track people. There are still 3,000 not accounted for. They could be relocated or dead.”

She compared the new system with the old, “It took me three minutes to print a list of disabled residents, something that took them three days.”

Tara, who completed a BA in art before she started her MBA, not only used her ITM education, but relied heavily on her project management skills to coordinate groups of volunteers.

The needs of Biloxi are changing, her database co-creators have returned to school and Hurricane Katrina is falling off the radar of most people. She said, “The city is transitioning from short term to long term reconstruction. There won’t be volunteers forever, so I’m trying to automate their work to make it more accessible. So many functionalities could be added to the system.”

Since she’s not finished, Tara has turned her work into an independent study project, sponsored by ITM Chair, Associate Professor Peter Duchessi, “It’s great that she devoted part of her vacation time to help in this area that was significantly damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Her project will help speed the delivery of services.”

Tara is recruiting volunteers to join her in Biloxi during the February break, “It’s the most meaningful experience I’ve ever had. One woman told me, ‘If it weren’t for hands-on volunteers, I’d be dead by now.’” Please email Tara if you have any interest: trainstrom@gmail.com.