CRC 2 nd Annual Meeting: February 1-3, 2017 Chapel Hill, NC Institutionalization, Expansion, and Enhancement of Interdisciplinary Minor Disaster and Coastal Studies (DCS) Principal Investigator: Meherun Laiju, Ph.D. Associate Professor & Chair Sociology Department Tougaloo College CRC 2nd Annual Meeting The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Feb. 1-3, 2017
Project Overview – Focus on 2 areas: A. Expand and Institutionalize the existing Interdisciplinary minor: Disaster Coastal Studies (DCS)— implemented during the Coastal Hazards Center of Excellence – Education (2008-15) by: Ø Collaborate with Psychology and Physics department (student training & research) Ø Modify courses, add GIS component to a certain DCS course and try to make this course a required elective across the curriculum B. Create a non credit bearing Certificate Program for community at large: Ø strengthen community resilience in a time of disaster Project Goal(s) – • Provide students with skills and knowledge that are marketable in the fields of disaster and emergency planning, management, response, and recovery while, simultaneously, preparing students for graduate schools and creating a workforce for Homeland Security and Disaster Response and Management Agencies. • Certificate program: facilitate the education of future community leaders , first responders, and citizens in planning and implementing disaster strategies which help to build a more effective path to societal resilience and security.
End User Engagement End User Agency/Employer Project Role Dr. George Humphrey, Director (grants)MEMA DCS Instructor, Place Intern CFM Mr. John Brown Regional Manager; Red Cross Serve on panel, Place Intern Ms. Jana Henderson Mitigation Office Director, MEMA Serve on panel, Place Intern Ms. Marsha Manuel Grant Director, Serve on panel, Place Intern MS office of Homeland Security Loretta Thorpe Director, Training Bureau Serve on Panel, Coordinator of Office of Preparedness, MEMA Neighborhood Training Colonel Donnell Berry MS State Trooper Serve on panel Mr. Ricky Moore Director, Hinds County Emergency Serve on Panel, Place Intern Management Mr. Terry Lightheart Director, Emergency Disaster Services Serve on Panel, Place Intern, Salvation Army Waren D. Miller President, MS Voluntary Organization Serve on Panel Active in Disaster (VOAD) Mr. Anderson Pastor, United Methodist Church Serve on Panel
End User Engagement • Each semester 2 group meetings • Most interactions via email or phone Ø end-user job constraint: meeting after 5 or weekends • Outcomes and Future Engagements Ø ½ day training arranged by Tougaloo in May at Woodhaven neighborhood (Home Association) v MEMA Training Bureau personnel will conduct the training Ø Exploring possibility with MEMA v Tougaloo will offer courses which will satisfy some of the Continuing Education Unit (CEU) requirements • Tougaloo College in process of changing General Education Curriculum Ø Incorporating Professional Certificate Program (6-12 hour curriculum) v Goal- focus on developing professional skills- students not attending graduate school can join the workforce v Interdisciplinary Minor: Disaster Coastal Studies (DCS) selected as a model ü Working with end users to redesign the DCS minor so the students receive skills to work in those agencies.
Education Work and Accomplishments Activity Status Offer 6 courses (fall & spring) Complete Intern Placement to end user setting In progress Selection of students for research and Complete; related work are on track training Select existing courses to modify In progress (selected 2) Student/Faculty/Staff GIS certification February, 17-18 Select students for CRC “SUMREX” In progress Advisory committee in put- design In progress Certificate Curriculum & Neighborhood Training Guest Speaker (Research Partner) Complete DCS Research Symposium April 7; 9:00 -2:00; TC Students Graduating with Minor 4 -5, in May 2017
Education Work and Accomplishments 2015- 16 2015 -16 2016-2017 2016-2017 Accomplishment Projected Actual (Projected) (Actual) Total Course Offers 6 7 6 6 Total Student Serve 60 62 60 60+ Declare Minor 7 12 9 9+ Internship (End – User) 6 7 6 7+ Graduate With Minor 1 2 2 4-5 Research Project/Training 6 8* 8 10 * 10 students (different discipline) are working on the following research project (Majority Freshmen): Identify risks and vulnerability within a community using Geographic Information Systems (GIS): (physics faculty) Ø Role of Effective Communication in Disaster Preparedness: (Psychology faculty) Ø Student training: Geographic Information System (GIS) concepts some emphasis in the STEM areas Familiarity with national preparedness and resilience literature, develop skills to critically review journal articles Design survey instrument, administer the survey, interview skills, skills related to statistical software program SPSS ,
Education Work and Accomplishments Course Modification • Ø Introduction to Natural and Technological Disaster in the Coastal Zone, v Incorporated Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) training Ø Emergency Preparedness Planning and Response v Incorporate online FEMA’s Independent Study (IS) Training as part of graded assignment GIS Training Seven IS training (focus on disaster preparedness and o rescue) Ø DCS graduating senior papers accepted to MAS conference v Irenia Ball- Sociodemographic Characteristics and Natural Disaster o Preparedness among Mississippi Residence v Aundra Moore - An Analysis of the Role Gender, Race, and Household o Income has on the Perceptions of the Government Providing Assistance Following a Natural Disaster v Keiara Young- Dr. Humphrey (MEMA) Hurricanes, Mudslides, and Drought: Considering the o teaching Emergency Publics Perceptions of the Role Governments Should Play in Preparedness class Providing Aid Using the NORC General Social Survey (GSS)
Education Work and Accomplishments Ø Intern Placement (7): v MEMA, Homeland Security, Salvation Army, American Red Cross, & Hinds County Emergency Management Ø Meherun Laiju- receive grant from the Andrew Mellon Foundation to conduct research, publication, and support students v Title: “A Global Issue: Natural Disaster and Child Trafficking,” o The goal of this project is to advance national and global Interns policy initiatives for child trafficking intervention in the context of contingency planning, which ideally should start in the emergency phase of disaster response. Ø Meherun Laiju and Santanu Banerjee – Proposal accepted to present at the 10 th Anniversary Homeland Defense & Security Education Summit will be held on 23-24 March 2017 Title: Innovative Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Curriculum in v Homeland Security at a HBCU
Education Work and Accomplishments Sustain Initiative: Ø v Jackson Heart Study and Biology department’s environmental science program to use some DCS courses and develop a curriculum in public health. v Sociology, Physics, Political Science, and Psychology department faculty members - exploring the possibility to integrate DCS courses as required electives for students in their respective degree programs. v Develop Professional Certification within General Education Curriculum- incorporating the DCS minor courses
Anticipated Project Impact Ø Diversify the future DHS S&T related workforce by training underrepresented minorities, mirroring some of the more vulnerable population impacted by Disaster scenarios Ø Local Emergency Management organizations get student interns and participate in Advisory committee and Annual Symposium. Ø Opportunity for students to be trained in interdisciplinary fields across academic divisions (Natural Science & Social Science). Partner institutions may be able to recruit graduate students for their program with a background in disaster related curriculum. Ø Opportunity for students to be participate in natural disaster related research and present in conferences Ø Institutionalize DHS S&T into the curriculum and create collaborations with other institutions and DHS related public & private entities Ø Enhance Community Preparedness – Neighborhoods training Initiative
Project Highlights DCS Conference April 2016 Intro to National Disaster Class DCS Classroom Presentation DCS Conference April 2016
DCS research student with faculty DCS research student with faculty 2016 2017
SUMREX 2016- University of Delaware Disaster Research Center Students: Irenia Ball & Taralyn Rowell
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