33rd Annual Hazards Research and Applications Workshop


July 12 - 15, 2008
Omni Interlocken Resort
Broomfield, Colorado, USA

Workshop Philosophy

The Annual Hazards Research and Applications Workshop hosted by the University of Colorado's Natural Hazards Center is designed to bring hazards research and applications community members together for face-to-face discussion on issues and trends that affect society's approach to hazards and disasters. It provides a dynamic, provocative, and challenging forum for the diverse opinions and perspectives of the multidisciplinary community.

Workshop sessions are organized to encourage interaction. Panelists address topics by responding to questions prepared by the moderators, rather than by presentation of papers.

Take a look at the links below for more information on workshop schedule and programs:

Program Structure

The three-day workshop is structured with plenary sessions, concurrent sessions, poster sessions, and extracurricular activities.

Plenary Sessions

Three plenary sessions were held on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday mornings wi synthesize various relevant topics. Each session had three to four discussants representing different sectors of the hazards community.

Concurrent Sessions

There were 20 concurrent, 90-minute sessions. Moderators prepared a set of questions to which the panelists -- who received the questions in advance -- had 10 minutes to respond. Time was reserved for give-and-take between the audience and discussants.

Research to Policy to Practice Sessions: There were two sets of six one-hour concurrent sessions featuring practitioners and researchers describing recent projects and studies.

Poster Sessions and Breaks: Participants were invited to present posters of programs, new projects, and recent/current research. The poster session was open for viewing throughout the workshop.

Extracurricular Activities

Field Trips: Two field trips were offered, including a trek in the paths of dinosaurs, up the stone steps of the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre and through a tour of nearby Coors Brewing Company. Attendees shook up their conference experience with a field trip to the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) in Golden, Colorado. 

Roundtables: The workshop provided opportunities for roundtable discussions outside of the normal agenda, as requested by participants.Roundtable topics included public health and disasters, GIS and hazards, and gender and disasters.

BBQ: The annual event was held at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Mesa Lab in the Flat Irons, overlooking the city of Boulder.

Schedule at a Glance

Plan Your Workshop -- an easy-to-read layout of workshop sessions and activities.

Saturday, July 12

9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Optional Field Trips
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Healthcare Research and Disasters Roundtable
2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Gender and Disaster Roundtable
4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Registration
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Poster Session/Cash Bar
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. First-Timers’ Orientation
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Graduate/REU Student Orientation

Sunday, July 13

7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Registration
8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Welcome and Self-Introductions
9:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Keynote: Roger A. Pielke, Jr.
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Break
10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Plenary Session #1
12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch/Resume Writing Workshop
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions
3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Break
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Poster Session/Hosted Bar
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Film: Still Waiting–Life After Katrina

Monday, July 14

7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. GIS and Disasters Roundtable
8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Continental Breakfast
9:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Keynote: Gerald E. Galloway
10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Break
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Plenary Session #2
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch
1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions
3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Break
3:30 p.m. – 4:25 p.m. Research to Policy to Practice A
4:35 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Research to Policy to Practice B
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. BBQ at NCAR Mesa Lab

Tuesday, July 15

8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Concurrent Sessions
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Break
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Plenary Session #3
12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m. Wrap up and Adjourn
5:30 p.m. Hazards and Disasters Researchers Meeting (HDRM) begins

Wednesday, July 16

8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. HDRM continues

Keynote Addresses

Roger A. Pielke, Jr.
University of Colorado at Boulder

Pielke is a CU faculty member, a Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) fellow and former director, and a former NOAA scientist. His research interests focus on the policy and politics of science in decision making. Pielke received the Eduard Brückner Prize for outstanding achievement in interdisciplinary climate research in 2006.

Pielke presented a perspective on the challenges facing hazards scholars who seek to play a greater role in the climate issue in the face of a very public, emotional, and political debate about what to do about climate change.

Gerald E. Galloway, Jr.
University of Maryland

Gerald E. Galloway is a Glenn L. Martin Institute Professor of Engineering and Affiliate Professor of Public Policy at the University of Maryland. He is a consultant on flood issues for the state of California and a member of the Coastal Louisiana Protection and Recovery Science and Engineering Review Team. He recently chaired the Interagency Levee Policy Review Team for FEMA, as well as an expert panel examining deep flooding in California’s Central Valley. From 2004 to 2008 he was a visiting scholar at the U.S. Engineer Army Institute for Water Resources.

A civil engineer, public administrator and geographer, he has served as a water resources consultant to a variety of national and international government and business organizations. He was a presidential appointee to the Mississippi River Commission and the American Heritage Rivers Advisory Committee and also served as U.S. Secretary of the U.S.-Canada International Joint Commission.

Galloway is a retired brigadier general and dean of academics at the U.S. Military Academy, an Honorary Diplomate of the American Academy of Water Resources Engineering, an Honorary Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. He is a graduate of the Military Academy and holds masters degrees from Princeton and Pennsylvania State Universities and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and a doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Galloway spoke about aging and imprecise levee systems and who, ultimately, is responsible for them.

Saturday, July 12

9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Field Trip: Get the “Shakedown” from the National Earthquake
Information Center

9:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Field Trip: Stomps, Steps, and Sips! A Tour of Red Rocks Park and Coors
Brewing Company

1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
Healthcare Research & Disasters Roundtable
Convener: Joanne McGlown, University of Alabama at Birmingham

2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
Gender and Disaster Roundtable
Conveners: Erica Kuligowski, University of Colorado at Boulder, and Susanna Hoffman, consulting anthropologist

5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Poster Session/Cash Bar

6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Graduate/REU Student Orientation

First-Timers’ Orientation

Sunday, July 13

8:00 a.m.-9:15 a.m.
Welcome and Self-Introductions

9:15 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Keynote Address: The Hazards Ahead
Roger A. Pielke, Jr., PhD

Roger A. Pielke, Jr. presented a perspective on the challenges facing hazards scholars who seek to play a greater role in the climate issue in the face of a very public, emotional, and political debate about what to do about climate change.


10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Plenary Session 1
Climate Change and its Impacts: Nobel Laureates and Other Experts Discuss Key IPCC Report Findings and their Implications for Societies around the World

At this year’s workshop, the hazards community recognized the many contributions of IPCC scientists and showcase their accomplishments. Group leaders and chapter authors were invited to present findings on various dimensions of the climate change problem, discuss their implications, and offer their views on steps that must be taken to reverse, contain, and adapt to the negative effects of climate change.
Moderator: Tom Wilbanks, Oak Ridge National Lab
Panelists: Linda Mearns, University Consortium for Atmospheric Research; Joel Smith, Stratus Consulting; Roger Pulwarty, NOAA Climate Diagnostic Center; Margaret Davidson, NOAA Coastal Services Center
Recorder: Sarah Dalton, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center

12:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
Resume Writing Workshop
Garry Briese, FEMA

Back by popular demand, Garry Briese, Regional Administrator for FEMA Region VIII convened a resume writing workshop. This hands-on workshop was geared to individuals seeking non-academic positions.

In addition to his recent FEMA appointment, Briese served as the Executive Director of the International Association of Fire Chiefs in Reston, Virginia for more than 20 years.

2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

Track: Warnings and Communication
Warning and Communication as Social Processes

Development of early warning and disaster communications systems often focuses on the technology that will be deployed in response to an event. But for long-term effectiveness, systems must be integrated with day-to-day life. How might warning systems become a part of individual livelihoods and continually contribute to society? What everyday social factors encourage or limit the development of interoperable and functional disaster communications between response organizations?
Moderator: Eve Gruntfest, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Trauma,
Health and Hazards Center
Panelists: Isabelle Ruin, National Center for Atmospheric Research; Mary Hayden, National Center for Atmospheric Research; Craig Schmidt, National Weather Service
Recorder: Lisa Howison, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center

Track: Communities, Organizations, and Resilience
Defining and Developing Disaster Resilience

This session examined questions such as what are resilience and resiliency? How is resilience measured and promoted in individuals, families, communities and organizations?
Moderator: Dennis Mileti, University of Colorado at Boulder Natural Hazards Center
Panelists: Fran H. Norris, National Center for Disaster Mental Health Research; Louise Comfort, University of Pittsburgh Center for Biosecurity; Monica Schoch-Spana, University of Pittsburgh Center for Biosecurity; Scott B. Miles, Western Washington University
Recorder: Jeffrey R. Engle, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center

Track: The Front Line
Dealing with the Dead in Pandemics and Disasters

Although both pandemics and disasters can produce large numbers of dead, planning for such incidents is often poor. There is new research on death in disasters including research comparing pandemic and natural disaster mass death. This session considered both technical and cultural issues in dealing with the dead.
Moderator: Joseph Scanlon, Carleton University
Panelists: Erik Auf der Heide, U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; Kristina J. Peterson, University of New Orleans; Merritt Schreiber, UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters; Tamiza Z. Teja, Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency
Recorder: Marg Verbeek, Royal Roads University

Track: International/Global
The Role of Engineering Science in Mitigating Large-Scale Hazards

Over the last 30 years our understanding of the dynamics of large-scale geoenvironmental systems and their interactions with urban development and landscape modification has progressed. How has engineering science and practice responded to reflect new understandings
of how to mitigate?
Moderator: Susan K. Tubbesing, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
Panelists: James E. Beavers, University of Tennessee; Jay Love, Degenkolb Engineers; Sue McNeil, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center
Recorder: Andrea Dargush, Innovative Emergency Management

No Track
Teaching About Hazards and Disasters: Strategies and Resources

Since the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and particularly since Hurricane Katrina, numerous academic programs and courses have sprung up in post-secondary educational institutions. New textbooks and Web sites have been developed, along with media tools such as Teaching the Levees. The FEMA Higher Education Project continues to expand its scope in order to serve hundreds of institutions around the United States. This panel discussion addressed topics such as hazard and disaster aspects taught in different disciplines; resources recommended for teaching at different types of institutions; and strategies for engaging students in the academic study of disasters and emergency management, including non-traditional approaches.
Moderator: Tricia Wachtendorf, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center
Panelists: Deborah Thomas, University of Colorado at Denver; James M. Kendra,
University of North Texas; Lori Peek, Colorado State University; Nicole Dash, University of North Texas
Recorder: Amanda Hughes, University of Colorado at Boulder

4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

Track: Warnings and Communication
Communicating Flood Risk—Behind the Levees

“There are two types of levees: those that have failed and those that will fail” was an often-used quote in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Yet thousands still live at risk in flood hazard areas behind levees unaware of their risk and without flood insurance. This session focused on the difficulty of communicating flood risk with respect to levees.
Moderator: Mary Jo Vrem, FEMA
Panelists: Eelco H. Dykstra, George Washington University Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management; Gerald E. Galloway, University of Maryland; Kamer Davis, JWT/FEMA FloodSmart Program; Larry S. Buss, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Recorder: Bob Goldhammer, Dewberry & Davis

Track: Communities, Organizations, and Resilience
Coordinating Community-Based Organizations and Volunteers

Community-based organizations and volunteers represent a reservoir of resources andlocal community knowledge that can be a major source of disaster resilience. In this session, panelists discussed the role of CBOs and volunteers in disaster loss reduction; model activities aimed at enhancing resilience, and challenges associated with integrating CBOs and volunteers into public-sector loss reduction activities.
Moderator: Kristina J. Peterson, University of New Orleans
Panelists: Richard Eisner, Fritz Institute; Rosina Philippe, Grand Bayou Community United; Susan Jensen, FEMA Aidmatrix Project
Recorder: Kristin O'Donovan, North Carolina State University

Track: The Front Line
Climate Change and Hazards Mitigation

Today there is a staggering flow of information on climate change and its predicted impacts. Where in this broad field should hazards researchers and planners focus their attention so that their work has the most continuous impact? How does climate change related hazard mitigation complement, support, or work at cross purposes with mitigation for extreme events?
Moderator: Sue Ellen Smith, Florida Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Center
Panelists: David L. Feldman, University of California at Irvine; Douglas C. Pattie, UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction; Michael Boswell, California Polytechnic State University
Recorder: Sherry Elmes, University of North Carolina-Charlotte

Track: International/Global
Gender Specific Disaster Efforts

There is a pattern of gender differentiation at all levels of the disaster process: exposure to risk, risk perception, preparedness, response, physical impact, psychological impact, recovery, and reconstruction. Numerous guidelines have been developed by international agencies and NGOs to address gender in disaster risk reduction. This session evaluated those and other efforts to address gender in organizations’ pre- and post-disaster activities.
Moderator: Laurie Laughy Pearce, University of British Columbia
Panelists: Bethany L. Brown, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center; Elaine Enarson, Brandon University; Emmanuel David, University of Colorado at Boulder; Roxane Richter, University of the Witwatersrand
Recorder: Lynne Letukas, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center

No Track
The 2008 Presidential Candidates and the Future of Emergency Management

This session discussed how emergency management will be affected by the election of each of the presidential candidates given what they have said during their respective campaigns.
Moderator: Richard Sylves, University of Delaware
Panelists : Beverly A. Cigler, Penn State Harrisburg; John R. Harrald, George Washington University Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management; Thomas A. Birkland, North Carolina State University; William L. Waugh, Jr., Georgia State University
Recorder: Laura L. Banks, University of New Mexico Center for Disaster Medicine

6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Poster Session/Hosted Bar

7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Film: Still Waiting—Life After Katrina
Interlocken A

Still Waiting is a collaborative project of Kate Browne, Afro-Creole specialist and professor of anthropology at Colorado State University, and two-time Emmy winning filmmaker Ginny Martin. The documentary was filmed over 18 months, between October 2005 and March 2007, and was funded by National Science Foundation, Colorado State University, and Women in Film.Still Waiting tells a story of resilience, family, and attachment to place. The film takes place in the post-Katrina world of three African American women who grew up in the New Orleans area. Connie, Katie, and Janie connect more than 155 family members who evacuate together to Dallas. The screening was followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Kate Browne moderated by Colorado State University’s Lori Peek.

Monday, July 14

7:00 a.m.- 8:30 a.m.
GIS and Disasters Roundtable
Conveners: John Pine, Louisiana State University, and Louise Comfort, University of Pittsburgh Center for Biosecurity

9:15 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Keynote Address
Working with Aging and Unknown Levees: Who Has the Ball?
Gerald E. Galloway, P.E., PhD

Levees and other structures have been part of the flood risk reduction strategy in
the United States for nearly three centuries. Some have worked well, well-built, wellmaintained, and operated by government agencies, private groups, and individuals. Others were put together over time with varying degrees of precision and lacked oversight. Recent national attention to certification of levees that are part of the National Flood Insurance Program and the inspection of others by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have revealed a considerable number of deficiencies and the need to repair and upgrade many structures. But responsibility for dealing with these challenges is scattered among all
levels of government. Who has the ball when it comes to working with our aging levees?

10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Plenary Session 2
2007 Southern California Wildfires

This session provided an overview of the scope and impacts of the fires and will stimulate discussions on key emergency management accomplishments and challenges. The fires werel be discussed in the context of a broader societal trend—the movement toward denser development and higher population concentrations at the urban-wildland interface—as well as communication and evacuation research and practice.
Moderator: Duane A. Gill, Mississippi State University Social Science Research Center
Panelists: Sarah McCaffrey, U.S. Forest Service; Scott Straley, Rim of the World; Susan Cannon, USGS; Vincent G. Ambrosia, NASA Ames Research Center
Recorder: Claire Hay, Metropolitan State College of Denver

1:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

Track: Warnings and Communication
Disaster Strikes, City in Flames! News at 11

The broadcast media play an important role in public perception and understanding of disasters and extreme events. Although images broadcast around the world can be powerful tools in keeping the public and officials informed about developing situations, they also can represent incomplete or inaccurate information.
Moderator: Lee Wilkins, University of Missouri School of Journalism
Panelists: Shawn Patrick, 9News; Edward Conley, FEMA; Amanda Ripley, Time Magazine; Susan Feeney, National Public Radio; James O’Byrne, Times-Picayune
Recorder: Jennifer Webb, University of South Carolina

Track: Communities, Organizations, and Resilience
Disaster, Faith, and Faith-Based Organizations: Roles of Religion in Preparedness, Response, and Recovery

Faith-based organizations have long played crucial roles in sheltering and reconstruction activities during and after disasters. Preparedness and risk perception are also shaped by faith. What makes faith-based approaches to disaster preparedness and response different? More generally, do faith-based organizations prepare for disaster differently?
Moderator: Lee Miller, Sam Houston State University
Panelists: Pamela Jenkins, University of New Orleans Center for Hazards Assessment,Response and Technology; Peter B. Gudaitis, New York Disaster Interfaith Services;
Steve Cain, Purdue University; Suzanne Frew, CirclePoint
Recorder: Emmanuel Raju, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center

Track: The Front Line
Working the Legislative Process

This session explained how to connect with legislators and push issues forward. Panelists will describe the process generically and explain how to make an impression with a legislator that leads to results.
Moderator: Avagene Moore, Emergency Information Infrastructure Project
Panelists: Dale W. Shipley, Emergency Information Infrastructure Project; Eric E.
Holdeman, ICF International; Jim Kastama, Washington State Senate; Maria G. Honeycutt, Office of Senator Bill Nelson
Recorder: Nancy K. Grant, University of Akron Center for Emergency Management

Track: International/Global
The Urbanization Challenge

In 2000, half of the world’s population lived in urban areas, crowded onto 3 percent of the earth’s land, according to the United Nations. One out of every two large cities is vulnerable to natural disasters such as floods, severe storms, and earthquakes. The rapid growth of large cities and their increasing vulnerability to disasters demonstrates the urgent need to concentrate the attention of all stakeholders, particularly local and central government authorities, on risk reduction in the interest of social and economic stability.
Moderator: Bill Anderson, National Research Council
Panelists: Monalisa Chatterjee, Rutgers University; Philip Berke, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Richard Eisner, Fritz Institute
Recorder: Hillary Smith, University of Florida

No Track
Post-Katrina Federal Emergency Management Changes

Hurricane Katrina was followed by a number of policy and programmatic changes,
including the Post-Katrina Emergency Management reform Act, the “New FEMA,” and the recently developed National Response Framework. Panelists discussed and assessed the progress of these new strategies.
Moderator: John R. Harrald, George Washington University Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management
Panelists: Claire B. Rubin, Claire B. Rubin and Associates; Lucien G. Canton, CEM, LLC; Marko G. Bourne, FEMA; Patrick S. Roberts, Harvard University
Recorder: Melissa Berry, University of South Carolina

3:30 p.m.-4:25 p.m.
Research to Policy to Practice A

New Professionals

Divya Chandrasekhar, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Understanding Stakeholder Participation in Post Disaster Recovery Planning.
Jenniffer M. Santos-Hernández, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center: Disaster Decision Support Tool (DDST): Population Distribution, Weather Technology, and Capacity Building.
Moderator: Dennis Wenger, National Science Foundation
Recorder: Judith J. Steele

Tsunami Risk Across Six Communities

Rarely are large hazard risk datasets available. This project is a longitudinal study with two surveys separated by a phase of telephone interviews and includes approximately 3,000 participants in six communities across the United States—Kodiak, Alaska; Ocean Shores, Washington; Seaside, Oregon; Coronado, California; Kauai County, Hawaii; and New Hanover County, North Carolina.
Moderator: Chris E. Gregg, East Tennessee State University
Presenters: Bruce Houghton, University of Hawaii at Manoa; Duane A. Gill, Mississippi State University Social Science Research Center; Jennifer Horan, University of North Carolina Wilmington; Liesel Ritchie, University of Colorado at Boulder Natural Hazards Center; Stephen Meinhold, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Recorder: Robert J. Goldhammer, Dewberry

Interdisciplinary Approaches to Assessing Risk

This session discussed the differences and similarities between (1) crisis management, (2) high reliability organizations, (3) crisis communications, (4) emergency management, (5) risk management, and (5) business continuity.
Presenters: Ian Mitroff, University of California, Berkeley, Center for Catastrophic Risk Management; Karlene Roberts, University of California, Berkeley, Center for Catastrophic Risk Management
Recorder: Shali Mohleji, University of Colorado at Boulder

Long-Term Recovery Strategies in Southeast Louisiana

This session was based on two projects that George Washington University Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management carried out in Southeast Louisiana. The first project was a pilot project conducted in conjunction with the Southeast Louisiana Chapter of the American Red Cross (SELA). The second project looks at the performance of the Long-Term Recovery Committees (LTRCs) in the four southeast Louisiana parishes hit hardest by Katrina.
Moderator: John R. Harrald, George Washington University Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management
Presenters: Beth Terry, United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area; Carol S. Pearson, University of Maryland at College Park; Kay Wilkins, Southeast Louisiana Red Cross; Laura Olson, George Washington University; Anthony Oliver Smith, University of Florida
Recorder: Maxwell Daigh, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center

Information Communication Technology and Disasters: Peer-to-Peer Communication and Social Media for Situational Awareness

Information Communication Technology (ICT), including social media and peer to
peer communications, are becoming pervasive in society and growing in importance and usefulness for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Governmental agencies, business and industry, community- and faith-based organizations, and the general public all make use of ICT in disaster for varying purposes including developing situational awareness, requesting resources, locating missing loved ones, capturing and sharing eyewitness images, mapping and visualizing damaged areas, and disseminating information to broad audiences. In this session, three investigators presentrf their research on the uses of ICT in disaster response and recovery. They addressed two
specific topics: why peer-to-peer communication is significant in disaster, and critical design issues of ICT for disaster response policy and practice.
Moderators: Bill Anderson, National Research Council
Presenters: Jeannette Sutton, University of Colorado at Boulder Natural Hazards Center; Leysia Palen, University of Colorado at Boulder; Quintus R. Jett, Dartmouth College
Recorder: Kathleen Vidoloff, University of Kentucky

Tokyo Metropolitan Earthquake: Manhattan + New Orleans + Bay Area and More?

Japanese researchers discussed what they believe will happen, what they are studying, and what issues will arise.
Moderator: Harou Hayashi, Kyoto University Research Center for Disaster Reduction Systems
Presenters: Kenneth Topping, Topping Associates International; Norio Maki, Kyoto University Research Center for Disaster Reduction Systems; Shigeo Tatsuki, Doshisha University; Yoshiaki Kawata, Kyoto University Research Center for Disaster Reduction Systems
Recorder: Satoshi Tanaka, Fuji Tokoha University

4:35 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Research to Policy to Practice B

NASA DEVELOP Program: Students Utilizing Earth Science Research Results to Address Community Needs

DEVELOP is a NASA Science Mission Directorate Applied Sciences Program that fosters human capital development to extend NASA science research to local communities.With advisers and mentors from NASA and partner organizations, graduate, undergraduate and high school students incorporate NASA science measurements and predictions into prototype projects that address local policy and environmental concerns. This session provided an introduction to NASA’s DEVELOP Program and featured student projects.
Moderator: Steve Ambrose, NASA
Presenters: Amber Richards, NASA Langley Research Center; Angela Maki, NASA Stennis Space Center; Derek Loftis, NASA Langley Research Center; Kyle Chester, NASA Ames Research Center
Recorder: Amy Jo Swanson, NASA Langley Research Center

Toxic Disasters: Long-Term Mental Health Consequences

Exposures to toxic substances in the environment have become increasingly common events that impact both physical and psychological health. However, large-scale industrial accidents such as Bhopal, Chernobyl, and Three Mile Island created “toxic disasters” that exposed entire communities to potentially lethal substances for indefinite periods of time. This session emphasized the stress-mediated health effects, define vulnerable high-risk groups, and explain the role of cognition and risk perception in communities exposed to toxic disasters.
Presenters: RoseMarie Perez Foster, University of Colorado at Boulder Natural Hazards Center; Edgar Villarreal, Texas A&M University.
Recorder: Charles Mitchell, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center

New Horizons in Dutch-American International Cooperation: Water and Emergency Management

Using a scenario where a Hurricane Katrina-type super storm creates havoc in Europe, this interactive session explored conclusions and recommendations from either side of the Atlantic Ocean. “Reality-fiction” will be used to bridge the divide between research, policy, and practice. Participants in this session will be actively engaged in discussing four questions:
1. What lessons might Europe draw from the operational experience of the United States and other countries in planning, preparing, responding, and recovering from these “super storms?”
2. What benefits could be derived from increased U.S.-E.U. cooperation in science, engineering, and technology?
3. What is the current state of and future prospects for transatlantic cooperation in areas such as critical infrastructure engineering, remote sensing, earth observation, early warning systems, public broadcasting, or net-centric information technology?
4. How could a merger of American and European knowledge and experience in crisis management benefit other parts of the world?
Moderator: Eelco H. Dykstra, George Washington University Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management
Presenters: Stephen E. Browning, MWH Global; Wim E. Drossaert, MWH
Recorder: John Wiener, University of Colorado at Boulder

Global Holistic Analysis of Hurricane Katrina

Presenter: William R. Freudenburg, University of California, Santa Barbara
Recorder: Andrew Rumbach, Cornell University

Quick Response Research—From Proposal to Possibilities

Disaster research began with the quick response research of Samuel Prince and the explosion in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Nearly a century later, disaster research still depends on the collection of ephemeral data from events of varying scale to further our understanding of the devastating impacts. However, in contrast to traditional methodological approaches, quick response research presents a unique set of challenges and barriers. This session addressed the various dimensions affecting quick response research.
Moderator: William E. Lovekamp, Eastern Illinois University
Presenters: B.K. Paul, Kansas State University; Corey Reynolds, University of Colorado at Boulder Natural Hazards Center; John Barnshaw, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center; Jolie Breeden, University of Colorado at Boulder Natural Hazards Center
Recorder: Christine Bevc, University of Colorado at Boulder Natural Hazards Center

Research from Department of Homeland Security Centers of Excellence

Presenters: Adam Rose, University of Southern California; Gavin Smith, University of North Carolina Center for the Study of Natural Hazards and Disasters; Linda Bourque, UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters
Recorder: Michael Stokes, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center

6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
BBQ—NCAR Mesa Lab

Tuesday, July 15

8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Concurrent Sessions

Track: Warnings and Communication
Early Warning and Rapid Response Technology for Hazard Events

This session focused on new developments in real-time alert technology. What are feasibility and reliability of such systems, what kinds of institutional arrangements are needed to support deployment, what are the major barriers to implementation and how much can they reduce loss of life and property damage?
Moderator: David Applegate, USGS
Panelists: Paul Earle, USGS; James Goltz, California Office of Emergency Services; and Chris Lochra, City of Fort Collins Stormwater Utility
Recorder: Cory Scoppe, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center

Track: Communities, Organizations, and Resilience
Issues in Business Continuity Research and Practice

This session focused on both current practice and upcoming developments in the field of business continuity planning. Topics considered included the current state of practice in the field, the need for systematic evaluation of business continuity plans, and the impact of new standards for business continuity and recovery planning.
Moderator: John Copenhaver, DRI International
Panelists: Al Berman, DRI International; Alan (Avi) Kirschenbaum, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology; Joscelyn Silsby, American Red Cross; Michael Byrne, ICF Consulting
Recorder: Collin Moseley, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center

Track: The Front Line
Integrating Hazard Mitigation into Local Planning

Planning for hazard mitigation has taken some significant steps forward in the United States since institutionalization under the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. Major challenges to its effective implementation remain, however, in large part because of an ongoing lack of integration in most communities with other local planning activities such as the NFIP Community Rating System, the reduction of repetitive loss properties, and post-disaster redevelopment policy.
Moderator: Kathleen Smith, FEMA
Panelists: Darrin R. Punchard, PBS&J Risk Consulting; James C. Schwab, American Planning Association; Josh Human, University of Louisville; Kenneth Topping, Topping Associates International
Recorder: Ilyssa Plumer, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center

Track: International/Global
Remote Sensing of Catastrophic Events

Advances in the technologies for remotely sensing the impacts of catastrophies are increasingly important to response, recovery, and long-term reconstruction planning and implementation. This session provided an overview and assessment of how these emerging capabilities for visualizing impacts can be more broadly used by both disaster managers and media organizations.
Moderator: Steve Ambrose, NASA
Panelists : Bruce Davis, NASA Stennis Space Center; Charles Huyck, ImageCat Inc.; Pamela S. Showalter, Texas State University–San Marcos; Thomas J. Cova, University of Utah
Recorder: Eric C. Tate, University of South Carolina

No Track
Early Warning for Extreme Hydrometeorological Events in India—Present and Future Practices

In 2007, heavy monsoon rains and flooding in South Asia, along with typhoons in Southeast Asia, were a grim reminder of the need for state-of-the-art early warning and risk reduction systems in Asia. This session discussed recent activities supporting knowledge exchange between U.S. experts and their counterparts in Asia and how national and regional weather services and disaster management agencies are changing as a result of this collaboration. Anticipated increases in intensity and frequency of extreme climate events because of global warming made this topic timely.
Moderator: Nina Minka, USAID IndiaPresenters: A.K. Bhatnagar, India Meterological Department; Nilamadhab Prusty, International Resources Group Systems South Asia (IRG-SSA); Robert Jubach, Hydrologic Research Center; S.K. Roy Bhowmik, India Meterological Department
Recorder: Richard L. Krajeski, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m
Plenary Session 3
Recovery from Catastrophic Events: Katrina and Other Potential Catastrophes

The recovery process following Hurricane Katrina continues to demonstrate the lack of understanding of how modern communities recover from catastrophic events and how other communities could fare in the future. This session featured discussions by researchers and practitioners.
Moderator: Dennis Wenger, National Science Foundation
Panelists: Ann-Margaret Esnard, Florida Atlantic University; Gavin Smith, University of North Carolina Center for the Study of Natural Hazards and Disasters; Shirley Laska, University of New Orleans Center for Hazards Assessment, Response and Technology; Susan Cutter, University of South Carolina Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute
Recorder: Rubal Saroha, University of Delaware Disaster Research Center

12:00 p.m.-12:15 p.m.
Wrap Up and Adjourn