Disaster research

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Disaster research deals with conducting field and survey research on group, organizational and community preparation for, response to, and recovery from natural and technological disasters and other community-wide crises. The purpose behind this field of research is to attempt to advance and communicate knowledge on mitigation techniques and procedures and disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.

[edit] History

The Disaster Research Center, or DRC, was the first social science research center in the world devoted to the study of disasters. It was established at Ohio State University in 1963 and moved to the University of Delaware in 1985. The Center conducts field and survey research on group, organizational and community preparation for,response to, and recovery from natural and technological disasters and other community-wide crises. DRC researchers have carried out systematic studies on a broad range of disaster types, including hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hazardous chemical incidents, and plane crashes. DRC has also done research on civil disturbances and riots, including the 1992 Los Angeles unrest. Staff have conducted nearly 600 field studies since the Center’s inception,traveling to communities throughout the United States and to a number of foreign countries, including Mexico,Canada, Japan, Italy, and Turkey. Faculty members from the University's Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice direct DRC's projects. Professor Sue McNeil is Director. Core Faculty Benigno E. Aguirre, Joanne Nigg and Tricia Wachtendorf. Russell R. Dynes and E. L. Quarantelli, the founding directors of DRC, are Emeritus Professors. The staff also includes postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, undergraduates and research support personnel.

Work in the Disaster research field attempts to yield social science knowledge on disasters and information that can and has been applied to develop more effective policies, programs, and planning to reduce disaster impacts. The Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware not only maintains its own databases but also serves as a repository for materials collected by other agencies and researchers. The DRC's special collection contains over 50,000 items, making it the most complete collection on the social and behavioral aspects of disasters in the world.

Studies in the field of Disaster Research are supported by many diverse sources, including but not limited to:

Federal Emergency Management Agency
Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research
National Institute of Mental Health
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sea Grant Program
National Science Foundation
Public Entity Risk Institute
Social Science Research Council
U.S. Geological Survey

Additionally, there are numerous academic and national policy boards in the realm of disaster research including but not limited to:

National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council's Commission on International Disaster Assistance and Board on Natural Disasters
National Science Foundation's Social Hazard Review Panel
U.S. Committee on the UN Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction

[edit] Emerging Opportunities in the Field

While disaster research is a relatively new addition to the social sciences field, due to recent events such as the September 11th terrorist attacks, the South Indian Ocean Tsunamis, and Hurricane Katrina, this field is quickly expanding and getting a lot of media coverage. Undergraduate and graduate degrees in emergency management and other disaster-related fields are beginning to be highly valued in the workplace due to the creation of many divisions and positions in companies such as Continuity Planning, Hazards Management, etc. There are many universities throughout the United States and the world that provide incredible opportunities for disaster-related studies.