This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.
Research Title:
GWU SURA PREP Research Associate for NIST Hurricane Maria and Community Resilience Programs
The work will entail:
The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program Study of Hurricane Maria’s Impacts and Recovery in Puerto Rico includes a project focused on the recovery of schools and hospitals in Puerto Rico. The objective of the Recovery of Social Functions project is to identify the underlying characteristics and conditions associated with recovery of critical social functions from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and to examine the recovery trajectories of sampled schools and hospitals. This project also includes investigation of the interdependencies of the broader community (e.g., households, businesses) and the social functions provided by schools and hospitals. Data were collected using surveys and interviews of K-12 schools and hospitals in Puerto Rico following Hurricanes Maria and Fiona. https://www.nist.gov/topics/disaster-failure-studies/hurricane-maria/hurricane-maria-projects-0
The primary activities for the research associate include the development of data collection instruments (e.g., surveys and interview guides), support in developing documentation required for approvals (e.g., Institutional Review Board, Office of Management and Budget Paperwork Reduction Act), oversight of the data collection, analysis of data collected and communication of results through reports, other publications, and presentations. Additionally, the work will include research and publications on related topics including organizational resilience, community recovery, data collection following disasters, and measurement using social science methods.
This work supports additional efforts of the NIST Community Resilience Program https://www.nist.gov/community-resilience to develop the measurement science needed for concepts of recovery and resilience. Specifically, the work overlaps in the area of organizational resilience. In this area, the postdoctoral associate will contribute to the development of publications as well as generalized survey and interview instruments that can be used to improve standardized measurement of impacts and recovery for organizations following disruptions such as natural hazards.
Ultimately, these standardized data collection instruments and associated protocols will be used to support future deployments and investigations of the NIST Disaster and Failure Studies Program https://www.nist.gov/topics/disaster-failure-studies/about-disaster-and-failure-studies-program while the associated analysis will inform the development of NIST Community Resilience Program guidance and tools to support organizations like schools and hospitals with resilience planning.
Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
- development of data collection instruments (e.g., surveys and interview guides)
- support in developing documentation required for approvals (e.g., Institutional Review Board, Office of Management and Budget Paperwork Reduction Act),
- quantitative and qualitative analysis of data collected
- communication of results through reports, other publications, and presentations
- research and publications on related topics including organizational resilience, community recovery, data collection following disasters, and measurement using social science methods
Qualifications
- A Ph.D. in geography, sociology, or a related social science field
- At least 3 years of relevant expertise in research related to disaster recovery, quantitative and qualitative methodologies, and hazard impacts
- Experience on interdisciplinary research teams
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Ability to develop scientific presentations and publications
The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.