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Within days of the September 11th attacks, unseen by the public and below the radar screens of many in the media, the U.S. academic community was scrambling. Rapid-response researchers, driven by years of experience studying earthquake and weather disasters, now rushed to collect critical data from Ground Zero before information was lost forever. Compounding the tremendous loss of life, New Yorkers faced failing water and sewer systems, shuttered banks, severed roads and subways and countless other obstacles. Researchers mobilized to uncover not just what went wrong, but also how to better prepare for events in the future. Whether confronting failed communications systems, water pipes and power grids or observing the emergence of volunteerism or the cooperation of businesses, researchers were able to answer questions because they had access to people and data in the immediate aftermath of the attacks. In recognition of Engineers' Week, on Monday, Feb. 23, 2004, the National Science Foundation (NSF) hosted six of the nation's top rapid-response researchers to report on their experiences at Ground Zero, the current state of disaster studies and the recent compilation of the research findings, Beyond September 11th: An Account of Post-Disaster Research (http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/sp/911book.html). Following opening remarks from Arden Bement, NSF's acting director, and John Brighton, the NSF assistant director for engineering, the audience heard emotional testimony from disaster researchers and administrators who work within that community. NSF supported the research that fills the 604-page Beyond September 11th volume, along with the principal entities that brought the book to completion:
For additional information about this area of research, please contact Josh Chamot, NSF Media Officer for Engineering, at (703) 292-7730 or jchamot@nsf.gov Beyond September 11th: An Account of Post-Disaster Research is available through the Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center Publications Administrator: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering, with an annual budget of nearly $5.58 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 40,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 11,000 new funding awards. The NSF also awards over $200 million in professional and service contracts yearly. Receive official NSF news electronically through the e-mail delivery system, NSFnews. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to join-nsfnews@lists.nsf.gov. In the body of the message, type "subscribe nsfnews" and then type your name. (Ex.: "subscribe nsfnews John Smith") Useful NSF Web Sites:
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