The U.S. Army’s senior research scientist for environmental science, believes that engineering is on the brink of a new paradigm, with more federal funds and industry acceptance reflecting his energy and passion.

The $1-trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) signed into law Nov. 15 includes funding for “nature-based” infrastructure, a sign of the growing bipartisan support among lawmakers and federal officials for approaching flood control and other climate change-related projects by  working with natural systems, rather than trying to control them, according to current and former officials at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.