Disasters affect universities across the country. In the past decade, college campuses across the US have been severely damaged or faced business interruption due to earthquakes, hurricanes, and flooding. Universities are unique organizations that serve their communities and states, and the federal government has a significant economic and social investment in them. Annually, federal agencies fund about $15 billion in university research. Much of the research is multi-year, and the value of ongoing research is obviously higher. Much American progress is fueled by academic research results.
The Disaster Resistant Universities research and development project has generated a national model that can be adapted and used by other institutions. The project has 5 major components:
- hazard assessment and loss estimation;
- evaluation of the economic impacts of natural hazards -- in this study, earthquakes;
- development and implementation of a strategic risk management plan;
- development of a model program for university disaster resistance; and
- progress on national funding for hazards mitigation in research universities.
Principal Investigators:
Mary Comerio, Department of Architecture
Vitelmo Bertero, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Nicholas Jewell, Vice Provost
John Quigley, Department of Economics and Graduate School of Public Policy
Contact Information:
Tel: 510.642.2406
Fax: 510.643.5607
Email: mcomerio@berkeley.edu
Funding Information:
Federal Emergency Management Agency
UC Berkeley: Vice Chancellor for Capital Projects
Start Date: 2/27/2006
