Long ago, when computers were new and typewriters still roamed the earth, a breakthrough in communicating hazard information was born. That innovation was a small listserv known as Disaster Research.
Now, 600 issues later, what began as the pet project of University of Delaware graduate student has morphed into the publication you know today—and my, how things have changed!
While the original listserv started with an audience of about 100 people sharing updates and information about hazards and disaster research, today’s newsletter reaches about 6,000 people across the globe from a variety of fields and disciplines. From first responders to business continuity managers to disaster volunteers, DR has reached beyond its original research emphasis to engage the broader hazards community.
The evolution was reflected in our 2010 name change—to DR, with the tagline of “Disaster Research News You Can Use”—to made it clear the publication is all about distilling the most useful disaster research and news for you from the daily deluge. Now, in honor of another 100 issues of condensing the issues, we’re pleased to add a new feature called Disaster News Redux.
In the quickly changing world of hazards and disasters, it can be easy to lose track of the many tendrils of an interesting story. The Redux will quickly glance at a past DR article in the rearview, check current road conditions, and peek at what’s on the horizon—all so you can get back up to speed without getting distracted. We’re including our first spin in this issue, so be sure to check it out below!