Institute for Hazards Mitigation Planning and Research
Institute Description
The University of Washington Institute for Hazards Mitigation Planning and Research is an interdisciplinary academic Institute housed in the College of Architecture and Urban Planning. The creation of the Institute in the Fall of 1999 was a significant step in the evolution of the College’s involvement in disaster studies. The Institute was an outcome of the participation of Dr. Richard McCormick, President of the University of Washington, at the 1997 Seattle Project Impact signing ceremony in support of the University's partnership. The Institute is dedicated to exploring ways to integrate hazards mitigation principles into a wide range of crisis, disaster, and risk management opportunities. The Institute is interdisciplinary in focus and structure, and the capabilities of the Institute are enhanced by its close links with other academic and research organizations.
The College of Architecture and Urban Planning is currently launching new areas of specialization in environmental planning, land use/infrastructure planning and real estate development. Hazards mitigation is a track within the environmental planning specialization.
- Offer core curricula in hazards mitigation for private, public, and non-governmental organizations as a track within an environmental planning specialization.
- Provide opportunities for students from various disciplines to incorporate mitigation principles into their major areas of study.
- Provide students with service internships opportunities with private, public, and non-governmental organizations.
- Create learning opportunities for practitioners who have been assigned Emergency and Risk Mitigation responsibilities.
- Develop interdisciplinary research activities to provide service and research resources to private, public, and non-governmental organizations.
- Facilitate exchanges of knowledge and practice, both nationally and internationally.
- Serve as a Washington State connection for other academic disaster research and education centers, institutes, and experts.
- Develop an internationally recognized center of excellence in hazards mitigation planning, research and education.
- Adapt courses for distance learning with special attention on private sector and non-governmental organizations.
- Reduce the risks from natural and man-made hazards in the Pacific Northwest.
- Develop strong stakeholder partnerships and influence development and redevelopment practices
Director's Bio:
Bob Freitag is the Director of the
Institute for Hazards Mitigation
Planning and Research.
Bob Freitag is the Executive Director of the Cascadia Region Earthquake
Workgroup (CREW www.crew.org) as well
as the Director of the Institute for Hazards Mitigation Planning and Research
at the University of Washington. CREW is a not-for-profit corporation
of private and public representatives working together to improve the
ability of Cascadia Region communities to reduce the effects of earthquake
events. He is also a Certified Floodplain Manager and is on the Board
of Regions for the Association of State Floodplain Managers.
Before coming to the University, he worked for the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) and before that he was employed by several private architectural
and engineering firms in Hawaii and Australia, and taught science as a
Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines. Freitag received his Master
of Urban Planning degree from the University of Washington.
Dr Frank Westerlund is lead faculty within the Institute.
Frank Westerlund served as Department Chair from 1999 until 2001 at which time he was instrumental in creating the Institute for Hazards Mitigation. Frank received his Ph.D. in Urban Planning from the University of Washington in 1977. He has taught extensively in the field of hazards and contributed toward its advancement through research in remote sensing applications and growth management and land use.
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