Climate Change and Health on the U.S. Gulf Coast: Public Health Adaptation is Needed to Address Future Risks The impacts of climate change on human health have been documented globally and in the United States. Numerous studies project greater morbidity and mortality as a result of extreme weather events and other climate-sensitive hazards. Public health impacts on the U.S. Gulf Coast may be severe as the region is expected to experience increases in … Continue reading “Climate Change and Health on the U.S. Gulf Coast: Public Health Adaptation is Needed to Address Future Risks” Learn More
Lessons not learned: Insider threats in pathogen research 1) Even though America’s most notorious biosecurity breach — the 2001 anthrax mailings — was the work of an insider, expert panels have concluded that there is no need for intrusive monitoring of microbiologists engaged in unclassified research. 2) The debate over publication of studies on the H5N1 virus focused on terrorists and ignored the … Continue reading “Lessons not learned: Insider threats in pathogen research” Learn More
At the Crossroads of Long-Term Recovery: Joplin, Missouri Six Months after the May 22, 2011 Tornado In December 2011, researchers from Columbia University’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) interviewed key officials and community leaders in Joplin, Missouri in order to document the major themes of the recovery effort approximately six months after the May 22 tornado. Researchers interviewed individuals in Joplin, Missouri to document recovery efforts six months after the … Continue reading “At the Crossroads of Long-Term Recovery: Joplin, Missouri Six Months after the May 22, 2011 Tornado” Learn More
Part I: A Critical Examination of “The Myth of Nuclear Deterrence” Several years ago, Ward Wilson presented in this journal a wide-ranging challenge to what every generation of national security scholars and practitioners since the end of World War II has been taught about nuclear weapons. He asserted that nuclear deterrence amounts to far less than its proponents have claimed and provocatively suggested that nuclear deterrence … Continue reading “Part I: A Critical Examination of “The Myth of Nuclear Deterrence”” Learn More
Disaster Recovery: Guidance for Donors This guidance paper goes above and beyond what donors can learn–or already have learned–from a handful of excellent guides developed by the philanthropic community since Hurricane Katrina. Much of this literature on “disaster philanthropy” has been directed at the most effective ways for donors and their agents to deliver assistance during unfolding crises and the … Continue reading “Disaster Recovery: Guidance for Donors” Learn More
Rural and suburban population surge following detonation of an improvised nuclear device: A new model to estimate impact Background: The objective of the study was to model urban evacuation into surrounding communities after the detonation of an improvised nuclear device (IND) to assist rural and suburban planners in understanding and effectively planning to address the effects of population surges. Methods: Researchers developed parameters for how far evacuees would travel to escape disasters and … Continue reading “Rural and suburban population surge following detonation of an improvised nuclear device: A new model to estimate impact” Learn More
The 2010 Nuclear Posture Review: the Nexus of Biological Weapons Threats and U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy The U.S. government released its Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) Report in 2010. The NPR Report is declaratory policy that warns adversaries and assures allies about how the U.S. would use nuclear weapons to defend the people, territories, and vital interests of the United States. The NPR Report reflects the current administration‘s beliefs that nuclear weapons … Continue reading “The 2010 Nuclear Posture Review: the Nexus of Biological Weapons Threats and U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy” Learn More
Planning for Long‐Term Recovery Before Disaster Strikes: Case Studies of 4 US Cities: A Final Project Report Among the four phases along the hazard continuum — preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation — the sub‐field of long‐term recovery has long been an outlier, an “orphan” when it comes to concerted policy attention and pre‐disaster planning. It’s not that community residents or municipal and state government officials are unaware of the potential long‐term residual … Continue reading “Planning for Long‐Term Recovery Before Disaster Strikes: Case Studies of 4 US Cities: A Final Project Report” Learn More
Climate Change and the Public's Health: The Coming Crisis for the U.S. Gulf Coast This paper reviews the scientific consensus as to how climate change will affect human health on a global scale and describes the limited, emerging research findings concerning climate change health impacts along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Through myriad pathways, climate change is likely to make the Gulf Coast less hospitable and more dangerous for Americans, … Continue reading “Climate Change and the Public’s Health: The Coming Crisis for the U.S. Gulf Coast” Learn More
Measuring Individual Disaster Recovery: A Socioecological Framework Background: Disaster recovery is a complex phenomenon. Too often, recovery is measured in singular fashion, such as quantifying rebuilt infrastructure or lifelines, without taking in to account the affected population’s individual and community recovery. A comprehensive framework is needed that encompasses a much broader and far-reaching construct with multiple underlying dimensions and numerous causal pathways; … Continue reading “Measuring Individual Disaster Recovery: A Socioecological Framework” Learn More
