Structural Disruptions in School Disasters

What are the major disruptions for schools after hurricanes, and what practices can a school use to assist in recovery?

These are the questions that guide the research of Cassandra R. Davis, an assistant professor in the department of public policy in the College of Arts and Sciences, who examines the impact of natural hazards such as hurricanes on schools and communities. She has recently extended her research to include analyzing the pandemic’s impact on schools through a natural hazards lens.

Davis spoke before a crowd of graduate students and faculty in Dey Hall’s Toy Lounge on Oct. 13 as part of University Research Week.

She was the guest speaker for the Data-Driven EnviroLab’s seminar series, organized by assistant professor of public policy Angel Hsu.

In her talk, Davis compared the impact of two hurricanes on schools — Hurricane Matthew, which hit North Carolina in 2016, and Hurricane Harvey, which hit Texas the following year.

Davis said the major challenges of these events are the displacement of students and educators, structural and transportation disruptions, damage to equipment and the impact on people’s personal lives.

Read more about the lecture and Davis’ work…

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