The University of Washington Natural Hazard and Disaster Reconnaissance Facility (RAPID) received an annual $1.5 million grant by the National Institutes of Health that allows for an expansion of staffing, equipment upgrades and greater research on the long-term health outcomes for communities affected by natural disasters. Joseph Wartman, UW Civil & Environmental Engineering professor and the director of RAPID, expressed great enthusiasm about the grant and emphasized its ability to shift our understanding of the impacts of natural disasters on…
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Center for Disaster Resilient Communities announces initial cohort of applied learning fellows
The Center for Disaster Resilient Communities has selected its inaugural cohort of applied learning fellows for its program, Increasing Diversity in and Equitable Access to Applied Learning in Disaster Research Response: IDEAAL DR2. IDEAAL DR2, which is funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, offers training in environmental and public health disaster research methods and skills for up to 25 advanced graduate students and early career hazards and disaster researchers a year from across the United States. This…
Equity challenges persist when it comes to accessing disaster research funding
Researchers in the space of disaster science strive to address the repercussions of hazards. It is thus critical to prioritize research and researchers whose backgrounds align with the communities most vulnerable to these effects. However, underrepresented groups such as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQIA2S+ individuals and women continue to encounter exclusion from critical research funding due to systemic disparities and obstacles. New research from the University of Washington delves into these experiences through 13 key informant interviews…
Optimizing communication and mobilization methods following disasters
A new interdisciplinary $2 million National Science Foundation effort at the University of Washington is examining networks and communication under emergencies. Professor Cynthia Chen, interim chair of the UW’s Industrial & Systems Engineering (ISE), is leading the research team that includes UW professors Dan Abramson (Urban Design & Planning), Kurtis Heimerl (Computer Science & Engineering), Tyler McCormick (Sociology and Statistics) and Shuai Huang (ISE). Chen and the team will first gather insights into current local sharing and social ties that…
UW supports neighborhoods in the Duwamish Valley to build climate resilience
The Seattle neighborhoods of South Park and Georgetown, situated in the Duwamish Valley, have traditionally experienced environmental injustice and suffer from poor health outcomes, both of which are exacerbated by the effects of climate change. In Fall 2022, a team of researchers from the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps, the Duwamish River Community Coalition (DRCC), the City of Seattle and the University of Washington Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences surveyed households in these neighborhoods to gather individual perspectives on…
Building disaster resilience in Westport, Washington with UW support
The Seattle Times profiled the efforts of Westport, Washington to prepare for a megathrust quake and subsequent tsunami hit. These preparatory efforts, elements of which have been supported by the University of Washington, are being furthered by a $15.2 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to construct a vertical evacuation structure to help protect people in the low-lying area from a tsunami wave. Situated on the coast, a tsunami from a Cascadia earthquake could arrive within 15 minutes…
University of Washington is a key partner in a new NSF-funded seismic research facility
The University of Washington is a lead partner for the Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center (CRESCENT), a $15 million, multi-institution earthquake research facility based at the University of Oregon. CRESCENT draws researchers from 16 U.S. institutions and is dedicated to studying the Cascadia subduction zone, strengthening earthquake preparedness and fostering community partnerships. Harold Tobin, a professor of Earth and space sciences at the UW and director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, leads the UW portion of the effort. “The…
UW earthquake experts discuss how research is helping prepare for “The Big One”
The Cascadia subduction zone, which runs off the coast of the Pacific Northwest, holds the possibility of unleashing a magnitude 9.0 earthquake. Dubbed as “The Big One,” this earthquake is predicted to occur off-shore as one tectonic plate slides under another, releasing a wave of energy accompanied by intense shaking for several minutes. Despite its oceanic epicenter, The Big One will have widespread inland effects with the potential of being accompanied by a devastating tsunami. Currently, University of Washington researchers…
CDRC named a Joint Disaster Medicine and Public Health Ecosystem partner
The Uniformed Services University’s National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health (NCDMPH) has named the University of Washington’s Center for Disaster Resilient Communities as a partner in a newly established Joint Disaster Medicine and Public Health Ecosystem. This Ecosystem, which is intended to enhance the nation’s disaster response capabilities, will collaborate with medical and public health partners across the country to facilitate quick mobilization of resources during emergencies. “We’re delighted to have been selected as an inaugural partner for…
Practitioners drive planning for a future public health preparedness and response center
The University of Washington’s Center for Disaster Resilient Communities, in collaboration with a number of partners, is developing a regional public health emergency preparedness and response center for HHS Region 10, which includes Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and 272 Tribal Nations. Unlike traditional university-based research, this project is practitioner-led, with input from professionals in public health, emergency management, education, healthcare and tribal organizations. Through iterative discussions and meetings, key priorities have been identified, including improving communication, enhancing workforce capacity and…