BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY

Adjunct Lecturer

The Heller School for Social Policy and Management

(2021-2024)

HS303F: Disaster Management (Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024)

(graduate seminar)

In recent decades there has been growing attention on the need to systematically understand and manage risk, while mitigating the vulnerabilities of communities to disasters. In light of this to what extent has the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) model contributed to improving humanitarian preparedness to disaster? How have links between humanitarian and development assistance evolved? What are the professional and technical approaches needed in disaster response environments? Through readings, expert presentations, case studies, and group work, the purpose of this course is to offer graduate students legal, policy, and response frameworks for understanding and engaging in humanitarian disaster response. This course is interdisciplinary in nature, with aspects of health, law, sociology, and psychology embedded within the thematic focus areas. While this course aims to contribute to the development of students' capacity to think critically and strategically about current challenges and approaches in disaster management, it recognizes the rich experience of the students and strongly encourages peer dialogue and group sharing.

Comments from Student Evaluations

"The professor created a really fun and engaging learning environment for students using a variety of tools (e.g. simulations, class discussions, lectures, guest speakers, case studies on Nepal and Bangladesh). The readings and topics he covered felt very current to the ongoing discussions in the field. I also liked that he was very receptive to student feedback, would check–in with the class on how we felt about certain things, and would then incorporate what we said into the classroom.” (Spring 2023)