Center updates

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

The University of Washington Center for Disaster Resilient Communities and Population Health Initiative are hosting a third and final lunch-and-learn event of the academic year with Dr. Joe Wartman on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 from 12 – 1 p.m. Pacific in the UW’s Hans Rosling Center for Population Health, room 101, and via Zoom. Lunch will be provided for in-person attendees. Dr. Wartman is a Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Director of the UW’s Natural Hazards Reconnaissance (RAPID)…

Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) – through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – are responsible for the oversight of federally assisted housing. However, climate change has contributed to increasing natural disaster events, often severely impacting renters receiving federal housing. This, combined with the ongoing housing crisis and consistent underfunding, has left PHAs struggling to keep up with numerous demands, especially in the realm of disaster planning. New research from the University of Washington explores and documents the roles…

The University of Washington Center for Disaster Resilient Communities, UW Population Health Initiative and the Cascadia CoPes Hub are hosting a lunch-and-learn event with Dr. Judith Mitrani-Reiser on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Pacific in the Hans Rosling Center for Population Health, room 101, and via Zoom. Lunch will be provided for in-person attendees. Dr. Mitrani-Reiser is the Senior Research Scientist in the Materials and Structural Systems Division (Engineering Laboratory) of the National Institute of Standards…

The Center for Disaster Resilient Communities has opened the annual application period for its summer training program, Increasing Diversity in and Equitable Access to Applied Learning in Disaster Research Response: IDEAAL DR2, with applications due on March 29, 2024. This program 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 from across the United States. IDEAAL DR2 offers online pre-course training not to…

The University of Washington Population Health Initiative and the new UW Center for Disaster Resilient Communities are hosting a lunch-and-learn event regarding development of a regional data ecosystem model for public health emergency preparedness and response on Monday, February 26, 2024 from 12 – 1 p.m. Pacific in the Hans Rosling Center for Population Health, room 101. Youngjun Choe, associate professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering, and Resham Patel, assistant teaching professor of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, will offer…