Tip Sheet: Hurricanes

Hurricane Season is Here

Alabama is no stranger to the damage and destruction wrought by hurricanes and other natural disasters, especially in recent years. In fact, these phenomena have become a certainty for residents of the Southeast and Gulf Coast regions. June 1 marks the official beginning of what forecasters predict will be a very active hurricane season. Researchers at Auburn University have studied different facets of natural disasters and their implications and can speak to the various angles of dealing with these often catastrophic storms. They include:

• Philip Chaney, Associate Professor of Geography with AU’s College of Sciences and Mathematics. This hurricane season, Chaney will launch a project to study how coastal residents and officials deal with pet evacuations. The project was born from issues with pet evacuations during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Chaney has several suggestions for ways in which pet owners can become prepared for hurricane season and a possible evacuation. Chaney received his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University and since that time has studied the Gulf Coast region with a specific interest in coastal erosion. He teaches a class each spring titled “Hazards Geography,” which provides senior and graduate level students an opportunity to learn about the four phases of natural disasters: preparation, response, recovery and mitigation. For more information, click to http://www.auburn.edu/~chanepl/

• Luke Marzen, Associate Professor of Geography with AU’s College of Sciences and Mathematics. Like Chaney, Marzen has also studied the Gulf Coast region. “I am continuing to monitor changes down in Mississippi and will continue to look at the damage hurricanes do in particular to forests,” Marzen said. He is available to interpret the extent of Hurricane damages and impacts on vegetation and ecosystems. In October, Marzen presented a paper at the Applied Geography Conference titled “A Remote Sensing Assessment of Mississippi Coastal Change after Hurricane Katrina.” Much of his research is focused on using remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems to examine land use changes and the impacts that these changes have on the environment. For more information, visit http://www.auburn.edu/~marzelj/

• Lee Colquitt, Woodruff Professor in the Department of Finance with AU’s College of Business. Colquitt specializes in risk management and insurance, both important components of natural disasters. He has done extensive research on various areas of the insurance and risk management industry and can speak on general insurance issues and the financial implications of storms. For more information, see http://www.business.auburn.edu/facultystaff/faculty_profile.cfm?facultyID=colqull

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