Who We Are
/Mission Statement
The increasing trend in the frequency and severity
of hazards and disaster events is an issue of global significance. In addition
to the impacts of climate change, rapid urban development in at-risk locations
is contributing to a phenomenon of elevated vulnerability for both people and
infrastructure. Elevated vulnerability to hazards and disasters comes at a
great cost to both social and ecological systems. Moreover, communities that are vulnerable
to catastrophic damages from hazards are, by definition, unsustainable.
In the
face of climate change and rapid urbanization, city planners, engineers and
policymakers play an important role in shaping the vulnerability and resilience
of urban systems. The mission of the Vulnerability research group is to
contribute to interdisciplinary scholarship and applied projects on themes of
urban vulnerability and resilience. This
IGERT research group engages with theoretical frameworks, empirical research
and policy related to the vulnerability of physical and social-ecological
systems. We draw from our diverse backgrounds in planning, policy, engineering,
and health to contribute to the further integration of the concepts of hazards,
vulnerability and resilience with the larger sustainability discourse.
Current
Research/Projects
Janes,
E. Building Resilience Through Planning: An Evaluation of Local Hazard
Mitigation Planning in the California Bay Area. Unpublished
Doctoral Dissertation. University of Colorado, Denver.
Past Projects
Thomas,
D., Sasson, C., Kreisberg, D., Janes, E., Valley, M., & Newell, S. (2011). Cultural Vulnerability Analysis: Methods for
Improving Hospital Disaster Preparedness and Response. Colorado Hospital Association.
Pan-American
Advanced Studies Institute Award (PASI): Institute for Integration of Research on Climate Change and Hazards in
the Americas; Panama
City, Panama:
Jointly supported by NSF and the U.S. Department of Energy, the 2010
PASI addresses the integration of research on climate change and hazards in the
Americas. Co-organized by United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), the
Association of American Geographers (AAG), the US Geological Survey (USGS), and
the National Communication Association (NCA), the goal of the PASI is to create
a long-term collaborative network in the Americas and to inform future
directions in interdisciplinary research related to climate change, hazards,
geographic technology, and communication.
Janes,
E., Burton, C., Andreas, D., Ramirez,
I., Diaz, R., Laguna, D., Martinez, N. (2010). Climate Change and Hazards: Building Local Resilience. White
Paper. Institute for the Integration of Research on Climate Change and Hazards
in the Americas. Panama City, Panama and Washington, D.C.
Dhakal, S.,
Janes, E. (2010). "Governance
and institutions for building climate resilient-cities, Epilogue: Perspectives from the 5th Urban Research Symposium." In
Cities and Climate Change: Responding to an Urgent Agenda, Daniel
Hoornweg, Mila Freire, Marcus J. Lee, Perinaz Bhada-Tata, and Belinda Yuen,
eds. Washington, DC: World Bank.
Members
Dr. Deborah Thomas (Geography), Enessa Janes (Planning), Josh Sperling (Engineering), Anne Scheerer (Planning)
Home Department
Planning