The rapidly evolving nature of disasters means that researchers don’t always have the background or tools on hand to do the comprehensive, rigorous, and ethically grounded research they know needs to be done. A new training module series is about to change that.

The National Science Foundation-supported CONVERGE team at the Natural Hazards Center is launching of a series of online modules that will help accelerate the training of a diverse hazards and disaster workforce. These interactive, 30- to 60-minute courses will cover a variety of topics that researchers—with a special emphasis on students and emerging scholars—can use to quickly educate themselves on conducting extreme events research.

The CONVERGE team is excited to release the first of these modules on social vulnerability and disasters. The course—developed with the supplemental support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—introduces participants to academic literature that describes the social drivers of disaster vulnerability and highlights populations typically recognized as being more vulnerable than others through each phase of the disaster cycle.

Learn more about the CONVERGE Social Vulnerability and Disasters Training Module in this recorded webinar.

Examples of studies and evidence-based training, tools, and policies are included to expose users to common methods for studying social vulnerability, as well as the research’s impact. The module closes with 10 recommendations for future research to encourage the next generation of researchers to address unanswered questions and challenges in their work. Links to additional resources, including key readings, datasets, and measures, are also provided.

After completing the Social Vulnerability and Disasters Training Module, users can take a 10-question quiz to receive a certificate of completion. These certifications will become part of a larger accreditation system for hazards and disaster researchers as more modules are released.

Upcoming training modules include:

  • Cultural Competence in Hazards and Disaster Research
  • Disaster Mental Health
  • Conducting Emotionally Challenging Research
  • Institutional Review Board (IRB) Procedures for Hazards and Disaster Researchers
  • Broader Ethical Considerations for Hazards and Disaster Researchers
  • Social Science Methods and Approaches for Hazards and Disaster Research
  • Interdisciplinary Methods and Approaches for Hazards and Disaster Research
  • The Science of Team Science: Forming Interdisciplinary Teams for Hazards and Disaster Research
  • Publishing Disaster Data, Data Collection Protocols, and Research Instruments
  • Public Disaster Science: Best Practices for Sharing Hazards and Disaster Research

We hope you’ll register for the self-guided Social Vulnerability and Disasters Training module to learn more about vulnerable populations and how your research can promote more effective policy and programs to address the needs of those at risk.

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This CONVERGE Training Module is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF Award #1841338) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF or CDC.