Chapman University’s Dr. Zhen Cong Awarded NSF Grant to Advance Hurricane Resilience Research
Dr. Zhen Cong, Chair of Health Sciences at Chapman University’s Crean College, has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to help improve household preparedness for increasingly severe hurricanes. As Principal Investigator for Chapman’s contribution to a $133,453 collaborative project, Dr. Cong is leading social science efforts within a broader multi-institutional study titled “Home Mitigation for Hurricane-Induced Multi-Hazards: A Multilevel Interdisciplinary Vulnerability and Resiliency Approach.”
Funded through NSF’s Humans, Disasters, and the Built Environment (HDBE) program under the Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation, the project brings together researchers from the University of Texas at Arlington, Chapman University, and other institutions to explore how to reduce risks from wind, wave, and storm surge in hurricane-prone communities.
Dr. Cong’s focus is on developing a multilevel theoretical framework to assess household vulnerability and resilience. Her work includes survey design, behavioral data analysis, and public engagement to identify effective strategies for encouraging families to adopt structural mitigation measures.
“With hurricanes becoming more frequent and intense, this research is vital to protecting both homes and the people who live in them,” the project team emphasized.