The Center is currently engaged in several different interdisciplinary projects.
The Center has launched a project strengthen and expand bi-directional partnerships with Tribal governments across Washington state and the Pacific Northwest who are particularly vulnerable to natural hazards. This work includes working collaboratively with Tribes to identify key information needs, determine key topical areas of joint interest and engage in scenario-based discussions, all while respecting Tribal sovereignty, self-determination, and traditional natural and ecological knowledge.
The field of public health preparedness has changed significantly with evolving approaches and priorities, including but not limited to learnings from the COVID pandemic response and greater emphasis on the critical roles of equity, community resilience and partnerships. Given these changes and the shifts in the broader public health workforce, this study aims to examine competencies needed for the existing and future public health preparedness and response workforce in the United States. Through a series of focus group discussions with experienced public health preparedness practitioners across the country, this project is identifying key themes that can inform competencies that guide educational programs and workforce training for public health workforce preparedness moving forward.
The goal of PHEER is to serve as the coordinating platform for the public health disaster research community of practice. The network, which is supported by the National Science Foundation through supplemental funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is able to mobilize rapidly, inform evolving disaster research agendas and funding decisions and advance the field of public health disaster science. Nicole Errett, Director of the Center for Disaster Resilient Communities, serves as a member of PHEER’s leadership team with colleagues from New York University, UCLA and the University of Delaware. Learn more by visiting the PHEER website.
University of Washington researchers are partnering with the Duwamish River Community Coalition to assess and design conceptual solutions to sea-level rise induced flooding in Seattle’s Duwamish Valley. The “Living With Water” project was awarded a UW Population Health Initiative Tier 3 pilot grant in 2024.
The aims of the project are to:
- Conduct an integrated literature review of strategies for flood adaptation based on a values-focused needs assessment of local residents;
- Co-design a flood adaptation vision with residents through community-based workshops and design charettes; and,
- Evaluate our approach to community co-design of flood and sea level rise adaptation through an equity lens.
Duwamish Valley residents are invited to participate in interviews, listening sessions, focus groups, workshops and design charettes. Please visit the project web page or contact Maja Jeranko via email at mjeranko@uw.edu for more information.
