Organizers

Stephenson Disaster Management Institute (SDMI)

The Stephenson Disaster Management Institute was formed to address the issues and challenges rapid and effective response to disasters by creating a world class organization in which engaged academic researchers, talented disaster managers, and expert advisors from the private sector collaborate to study disaster management problems, develop realistic solutions, publish smart practices, and teach improved disaster management strategies. SDMI will enhance LSU’s ability to bring its existing programs and research capacity to bear on the particular problems of disasters, and will add substantial additional capacity with respect to strategic management and decision-making. SDMI will assure that LSU continues the national prominence it has recently gained, and more importantly, will assure that the nation becomes better able to respond to future catastrophes. The mission of the institute is to save the lives of people and animals by continuously improving disaster response management through research and education. It will do this by:

• Bringing business principles and research to bear on the unanswered management challenges of large, complex disasters.
• Applying, enhancing, and coordinating the unique capabilities and experience of Louisiana State University in the areas of hurricane research, disaster science, computation and technology, and counter-terrorism training.
• Building partnerships between management scholars, emergency preparedness and response practitioners, and corporations.
• Producing high quality, applied research that draws from multiple disciplines.
• Disseminating learning through meaningful executive education programs and publications for business and government mangers.
  
  

Gulf Coast Research Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency

The Gulf Coast Research Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency is a collaborative effort between the Louisiana State University Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the University of New Orleans’ Department of Planning and Urban Studies. The LSU-UNO Center is focused on Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency in an effort to address the multitude of issues that impact transportation processes under emergency conditions such as evacuation and other types of major events. This area of research also addresses the need to develop and maintain the ability of transportation systems to economically, efficiently, and safely respond to the changing demands that may be placed upon them.

University of New Orleans, Department of Planning and Urban Studies

The difficult urban challenges facing communities across America and in particular New Orleans require decisive leadership backed by a thorough understanding of complex issues. As the only accredited urban planning school within the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas, the Department of Planning and Urban Studies (PLUS) has been an important regional institution helping to train leaders in urban issues for over 40 years. Now as New Orleans and the Gulf Region rebuild after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, PLUS faculty and staff continue this tradition of leadership by being at the forefront of rebuilding planning. With a range of programs from the undergraduate program in urban studies to the masters in urban studies and masters in planning to the advanced level of the urban studies PhD program, PLUS provides comprehensive training to prepare students for careers in urban studies.