Message from the Director: Rachel Davidson, PhD

With the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season underway and projected to be one of the most destructive yet, the need for new and innovative approaches to managing hurricane risk is top of mind. Previous strategies, which are largely ingrained in a “disaster, recovery, repeat” cycle, are not working or equipping citizens with the knowledge and resources they need to be resilient in the face of these storms.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. coastal counties are home to 129 million people, nearly 40% of the nation’s total population. Further, of the 363 billion-dollar weather disasters since 1980, tropical cyclones have caused the most damage. As of August 2023, hurricanes have cost the U.S. more than $1.3 trillion, an average of $22.8 billion per event. While daunting, both of these facts lend directly to the importance and relevance of research underway in the CHEER Hub.

In the months ahead, we encourage you to subscribe to our newly launched quarterly e-newsletter, The CHEER Chronicle, and browse our website and research to stay abreast of how we are working to understand and improve hurricane resilience, equity, and economic prosperity in communities throughout the U.S.

Please feel free to contact the Hub with any comments or questions regarding our content.