Joshua M
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at Vanderbilt University
Expertise
Civil Engineering, General Engineering, Community resilience, Risk & reliability, Education
Bio
I am a Ph.D. student interested in how communities can adapt and prepare for adverse events like natural disasters. Disasters are at the intersection of a lot of other fields of study and because of this, my research experiences have exposed me to a variety of fields, ranging from hard sciences like geophysics and seismology to social sciences & education. I also love teaching and disseminating practical information to those who need it. When I am not researching, I am likely to be in the gym/outdoors, reading philosophy/history/psychology books, or trying to pick up a new hobby (Chess currently)Project ideas
Survey on views of disaster/natural hazard risk in "X" region
The student will learn to craft survey questions and poll their community about topics related to climate, natural hazard risk, and preparedness strategies to see how people understand the risks in their environment. This can help determine the types of information leaders should focus on promoting when informing the community about a natural hazard risk and what groups & demographics (e.g. 18-35 yrs. old) should be targeted. The student will be encouraged to think critically about why there may/may not be gaps in understanding for different groups. This project will introduce the student to survey development, obtaining permission for human subjects research, statistics, and improve science communication skills