Beth A. Bartel
I am a Mendenhall postdoctoral fellow researching communication of volcanic hazards. I work with scientists and stakeholders, including at-risk populations, to reduce risk through stronger partnerships and information products that meet users' needs.
Combining a background in geology, geophysics, journalism, science communication, and cross-disciplinary research approaches, I apply social science methodologies to address disaster risk reduction problems. Broadly, I am interested in how humans live with natural hazards. More specifically, I am interested in how people use information to make decisions about risk-reducing actions. My dissertation focused on evacuation decisions at the frequently active Fuego volcano, Guatemala. At the USGS, I work with scientists and stakeholders to understand how the USGS can effectively communicate their Next Generation of volcano hazards assessments to support decisions about land use, infrastructure, economic development, evacuation planning, and more.
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government