The Disaster Research Center, the first social science research center in the world devoted to the study of disasters, was established at Ohio State University in 1963 and moved to the University of Delaware in 1985. The Center conducts field and survey research on group, organizational and community preparation for, response to, and recovery from natural and
technological disasters and other community-wide crises. DRC researchers have carried out systematic studies on a broad range of disaster types, including hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hazardous chemical incidents, and plane crashes. DRC has also done research on civil disturbances and riots, includingthe 1992 Los Angeles unrest. Staff have conducted
nearly 600 field studies since the Center’s inception, traveling to communities throughout the United States and to a number of foreign countries, including Mexico, Canada, Japan, Italy, and Turkey. Currently, Prof. SueMcNeil is serving as the DRC Director. Core FacultyBenigno E. Aguirre, Joanne Nigg, Havidán Rodríguez,and Tricia Wachtendorf. Russell R. Dynes and E. L.Quarantelli, the founding directors of DRC, are Emeritus Professors. The staff includes postdoctoral fellows,graduate students, undergraduates and research supportpersonnel.

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