Upcoming Event: March 28, 2007

GWU Homeland Security, Emergency and Risk Management Forum

Topic: Estimating At-Risk Communities: A Review of the National Research Council’s Report on Mapping Vulnerable Populations

Presenter: David Rain, Assistant Professor of Geography and International Affairs, GWU

When: Wednesday - March 28, 2007 4:30 - 6:00 PM

Where: GWU Marvin Center, Room 101 (800 21st Street @ H Street NW, Washington, DC convenient to the Foggy Bottom Metro Station)

The George Washington University Institute for Crisis, Disaster and Risk Management (ICDRM) is proud to announce the fifth Homeland Security, Emergency and Risk Management Forum of the 2006 - 2007 academic year on Wednesday, March 28, 2007.

Presentation Description:

A challenging aspect of emergency management is identifying vulnerable segments of a population, especially before a disaster occurs or when responding to a humanitarian emergency in a remote and unfamiliar region.

The National Research Council (NRC) is in the process of completing a study of how geo-demographic data, methods, and tools can be exploited to better identify sub-national populations at risk. During this study, the NRC’s Committee on the Effective Use of Data, Methodologies and Technologies to Estimate Sub-National Populations at Risk examined strategies to significantly improve our understanding of who is at risk and where they are located. The Committee was sponsored by the US Census Bureau, NASA, Department of State, USAID, and CDC.

Update: The report is now available at http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11895.

Brief Bio:

David Rain is Assistant Professor of Geography and International Affairs at The George Washington University. Prior to coming to GW in 2004, Prof. Rain worked as a Special Assistant in the Population Division of the US Census Bureau, developing interagency agreements to allow data sharing to estimate populations at risk and providing technical assistance in geographic information systems to national statistical agencies around the world. He holds a PhD in Geography (with a minor in Demography) from Penn State University..

Additional Information:

Refreshments will be served during the 4:30 - 4:45 PM social period and the forum will commence promptly at 4:45 PM. There is no registration fee for the forum series, however we do request that you RSVP to Sergio De Cosmo, Research Assistant, The GWU Institute for Crisis, Disaster and Risk Management. Email to sdecosmo@gwu.edu is preferred, however, please feel free to call with any questions to 202-994-6736.