DENTON (UNT), Texas — As Hurricane Delta approaches the Gulf Coast, it is increasingly important that people have an accurate source of information. Faculty from the Departments of Emergency Management and Disaster Science and Public Administration at University of North Texas are offering to share their expertise on what to expect after Hurricane Delta.
- Gary Webb is professor and chair in the Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science who specializes in organizational preparedness for and response to extreme events. His research has been supported by multiple grants from the National Science Foundation and he has been quoted in national media outlets including NPR, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and CNN. He can speak about the challenges of responding to disasters and the importance of flexibility in emergency management.
- Elyse Zavar is an assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science who specializes in disaster recovery and hazard mitigation, specifically land buyouts in flood mitigation. She was recently selected as a 2020 Early-Career Research Fellow by the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine with her work on areas of Harris County after Hurricane Harvey. She can speak about what long-term recovery in communities affected by Hurricane Delta may look like based on her experience in past flood areas.
- Jennifer Cowley is the UNT Provost, Vice President of Academic Affairs and a professor in the Department of Public Administration. She has done multiple studies looking at post-Katrina planning and urban recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana. She can speak on what recovery from another storm the size of Katrina could look like.
- Ronald Schumann is an assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science. Schumann previously worked as a research associate with the Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute documenting housing reconstruction after Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi and Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey. He continued to study long-term recovery after Katrina with a grant from the National Science Foundation. He can speak about community recovery after disasters, vulnerable populations, weather risk perception and the cultural memory of hurricanes along the Gulf Coast.
- Tristan Wu is an associate professor in the Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science who specializes in disaster preparedness and response, specifically warning and household protective action decisions before and during disasters. He recently received a National Science Foundation award to study Hurricane Laura evacuation during the COVID-19 pandemic. He can speak about households’ evacuation concerns and behaviors during Hurricane Delta.
- Ron Timmons is a senior lecturer in the Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science. He works with students to create realistic preparation for the demands present in the emergency services field. He is the internship coordinator for the department and can speak about student activities at jobsites throughout the area.
- Nathan Hutson is a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Public Administration who specializes in intermodal freight and currently chairs the Transportation Research Board’s subcommittee on Intermodal Freight Terminal Design and Operations. He can speak on Hurricane Delta’s potential impacts on port traffic, port resiliency and shipping routes.
The UNT undergraduate Emergency Administration and Planning Program, which is housed in the Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science, was established in 1983 as the nation’s first bachelor’s degree program in emergency management. UNT’s Master of Public Administration program with a specialty in emergency management is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top five in the nation.