As Co-Director of the Natural Hazards Center, Mary Fran Myers inspired and supported many researchers to do excellent work on gender issues and reducing disaster losses. Myers passed away in 2004, but the Mary Fran Myers Scholarship continues to honor those who share Myers' vision.
The scholarship selection committee chose four recipients to receive the 2012 Scholarship, which recognizes outstanding individuals who share Myers' passion for disaster loss reduction nationally and internationally. The Scholarship provides financial support to recipients who otherwise could not attend the Annual Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop.
Hsien-Ho (Ray) Chang is a PhD student in Disaster Science and Management at the University of Delaware. Before he began his doctoral studies, Chang spent six years as a captain in the Taipei County, Taiwan, Fire Department. Chang earned his master’s degree from Arizona State University and spent a year working with the Phoenix Fire Department developing technology to locate new fire stations and collecting and analyzing data from major disaster drills.
Mike Kline is the manager of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation's Rivers and Floodplain Program. For 24 years, Kline has worked to combine flood and erosion hazard mitigation with other aspects of watershed management. He has developed a river corridor planning program to help Vermont communities improve water quality, restore river ecosystems, and mitigate floods and erosion.
Justin Moresco is a project manager at GeoHazards International, where he promotes earthquake risk reduction through preparedness and mitigation projects, with an emphasis on developing countries. Most recently, he’s managed an 18-month project for the Global Earthquake Model Foundation that investigates seismic risk reduction in 11 cities worldwide.
Judy Sears will complete her master’s degree at Humboldt State University in Environment and Community this summer. She has researched adapting the Community Emergency Response Team training model to mitigate losses in rural coastal settings, which can be isolated from first responders after disasters. Sears has been the administrator of U.S. Servas, operations manager for World Shelters, and is now community liaison for the fledgling Regional Training Institute—Community Disaster Preparedness, which provides preparedness training in five Northern California counties.
For full bios of the 2012 and past Mary Fran Myers Scholarship Winners, please visit the Natural Hazards Center website.