This project will conduct a workshop of leading natural hazards and disaster researchers to address the creation of a National Hazard Vulnerability and Resiliency Observatory Network. The focus of this observatory network will be vulnerability and resiliency as they relate to natural and technological hazards and disasters, not deliberate or willful acts of terrorism.
There is a need for concerted research efforts to reduce our nation's vulnerabilities to natural disasters and to enhance resiliency. This workshop will take the initial steps toward the development a national framework for interdisciplinary comparative research on natural hazard vulnerability and resiliency that should be undertaken through a national observatory network. This framework will identify the core research themes and more specific research questions related to hazard vulnerability and resiliency. The workshop will also identify critical data that should be collected and organized in order to enhance and facilitate research efforts for understanding and monitoring vulnerability and resiliency. The overall structure of the observatory network and location of research sites will also be addressed.
