Natural Hazards Center Mission: We share and advance social science and interdisciplinary knowledge, with a special emphasis on the most vulnerable populations and places. Every day, we work to empower a culture where all people are educated and inspired to take positive action to mitigate hazard losses and to build stronger communities.
The Institute of Behavioral Science (IBS) is a research institute within the Graduate School of the University of Colorado Boulder. Since its establishment in 1957, it has provided a setting for interdisciplinary collaborative research on problems of societal concern. By engaging faculty from all the social and behavioral sciences at the University of Colorado, Boulder, IBS encourages work that transcends disciplinary boundaries, that illuminates the complexity of social behavior and social life, and that has important implications for social policy.
IBS is organized into five research programs, each defined by an interdisciplinary area of research and directed by a senior research scientist. The Natural Hazards Center is housed at the Environment and Society program.
The research activities of the Natural Hazards Center focus on the social, behavioral, socioeconomic, mental health, and other societal aspects of hazards and disasters, using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches. Current and recently-completed projects involve research with a range of population groups, including potentially vulnerable groups such as children, elderly persons, and low-income populations.
Studies explore topics throughout the hazards cycle, from mitigation and preparedness to response and recovery. Various types of hazards are addressed in the Center’s research portfolio, ranging from earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes to toxic hazards and technological disasters.
Research activities span urban and rural areas in the U.S. and other countries. Studies frequently involve collaborations with researchers from engineering and natural science disciplines.
483 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0483
The Natural Hazards Center is funded by the National Science Foundation, Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI), Program on Humans, Disasters, and the Built Environment (Award #1635593) with supplemental support from the U.S. Geological Survey and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, Center faculty and researchers have contracts and grants from a variety of other federal agencies and nonprofit organizations.
