Adam Schellhammer, the Mid-Atlantic regional director for American Rivers, will give the talk "Rivers at the center of change: Building resiliency in the Mid-Atlantic" at 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, in 112 Walker Building on the University Park campus. The talk also will be available via Zoom.
The event is part of the 2026-27 EarthTalks: Flood Risk and Resilience in the Mid-Atlantic series hosted by the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute and the Center for Climate Risk Management at Penn State. The talk is free and open to the public.
Rivers across the Mid-Atlantic region show the environmental and infrastructure decisions made in different communities. These decisions directly impact rivers, but rivers can also act as a starting point to build community strength and climate resilience.
"Across the Mid-Atlantic, the legacy of dams, industrial development, mining, urbanization and altered floodplains continues to shape river health and community resilience," Schellhammer said. "At the same time, rivers offer a foundation for restoration, public investment, recreation and stronger local economies."
Schellhammer will present how American Rivers builds lasting change through community partnerships. He will discuss examples of dam removal across the region, clean water work in Philadelphia and opportunities to protect river corridors through Wild and Scenic River designations.
"Together, these examples show how local projects, public policy, community partnerships and strategic investment can reinforce one another," Schellhammer said. "By placing rivers at the center of planning and decision-making, the Mid-Atlantic can build healthier watersheds and communities that are better prepared for environmental, economic and climate-related change."
Schellhammer leads a team dedicated to dam removal, river restoration and clean water programming. He brings more than a decade of experience turning conservation goals into practical projects through partnerships with communities, landowners, government agencies and funders. His work has taken him from Pennsylvania to New Zealand and has focused on restoring rivers, improving water quality and helping communities become more resilient. Schellhammer holds an MBA from Penn State, a master's of natural resources from Virginia Tech, and a bachelor of science in environmental biology from Millersville University.
About EarthTalks
EarthTalks is a seminar series hosted by the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute and Center for Climate Risk Management at Penn State. EarthTalks features distinguished researchers and practitioners from Penn State, as well as from other universities, government agencies and nonprofit organizations to explore critical environmental issues. The 2026-27 series is focused on flood risk and resilience in the Mid-Atlantic region, with the goal to highlight the different aspects of flood research and build connections throughout the research community.
