Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute, University of South Carolina

The Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute (HVRI) is an interdisciplinary research and graduate and undergraduate training center focused on the development of theory, data, metrics, methods, applications, and spatial analytical models for understanding the newly emergent field of hazard vulnerability science. 

In addition to basic research, HVRI facilitates local, state, and federal government efforts to improve emergency preparedness, planning, and response and disaster resilience through its outreach activities. These activities include providing technical assistance to and translational products for the practitioner community as well as training emergency managers in GIS applications.  Partnerships with federal, state, and local emergency managers are an important component of the Institute’s purpose and mission.

HVRI also houses the International Centre of Excellence in Vulnerability and Resilience Metrics (ICoE-VaRM) which provides leadership in the development of science-based models, methods, and metrics to support disaster risk reduction policies and practices.