Workshop on Disaster Research: Innovating for an Imagined Disaster Future; Newark, Delaware; 2-4 May 2024

This grant supports an international, interdisciplinary workshop that brings together a diverse group of scientists and practitioners to provoke discussion on future disasters and percolate fresh thinking about events that have yet been fully characterized. As the globe emerges from the pandemic into new sorts of instability - climatic, economic, technical, geopolitical - the knowledge needed to make sense of compounding hazards is by no means certain. This workshop serves as a launching pad for the necessary conversation to propel disaster science forward as well as an incubator for new research collaborations and novel approaches. The recorded presentations and public (free/open access) dissemination reach a much broader audience. With an emphasis on graduate student engagement and mentorship, the workshop nurtures the next generation of disaster science scholars. While researchers, practitioners, and policymakers continue to solve the problems of today, disasters of the future lurk in the distance. As new patterns and threats evolve rapidly, imagining future scenarios and suggesting innovative paths forward are paramount. A return to fundamental discovery is critical to advancing the field of disaster science and driving transformative impact. The two-day workshop is structured with activities known to catalyze deep contemplation and maximum engagement. It brings together leading and emerging disaster experts in the social science, policy, engineering, and health science as well as those in emergency management practice. The format - a combination of featured presentations, keynote speakers, topic panels, poster presentations, film screenings, hands-on activities, and collaborative discussion sessions - facilitates learning, engagement, and contributions from attendees throughout the event. Pre- and post-workshop activities include a day-long graduate student workshop; a researchers-in-residence program through the E.L. Quarantelli Resource Collection; and a coastal impacts and resilience field tour. The output from the workshop is of value to scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and funding agencies. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.