Post Master

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program
Study of Hurricane Maria’s Impacts and Recovery in Puerto Rico includes a project focused on the
recovery of schools and hospitals in Puerto Rico. The objective of the Recovery of Social Functions
project is to identify the underlying characteristics and conditions associated with recovery of critical
social functions from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and to examine the recovery trajectories of
sampled schools and hospitals. This project also includes investigation of the interdependencies of the
broader community (e.g., households, businesses) and the social functions provided by schools and
hospitals. Data were collected using surveys and interviews of K-12 schools and hospitals in Puerto Rico
following Hurricanes Maria and Fiona. https://www.nist.gov/topics/disaster-failure-studies/hurricane-
maria/hurricane-maria-projects-0

The primary activities for the research associate include the analysis of school and hospital impacts and
recovery in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Fiona. This role requires the application of both quantitative
and qualitative methodologies, as well as narrative and technical writing skills. The research associate
will contribute to the development of reports, other publications, and presentations that communicate
study findings to inform practical guidance and, ultimately, shape broader organizational resilience
frameworks. Responsibilities also include supporting the development of data collection instruments
(e.g., surveys and interview guides) and documentation required for approvals (e.g., Institutional Review
Board, Office of Management and Budget Paperwork Reduction Act). Additionally, the work involves
research and publications on related topics such as organizational resilience, community recovery, data
collection following disasters, and measurement using social science methods.

This work supports additional efforts of the NIST Community Resilience Program https://www.nist.gov/community-resilience to develop the measurement science needed for concepts of recovery and resilience. Specifically, the work overlaps in the area of organizational resilience. In this area, the research associate will contribute to the development of publications as well as generalized survey and interview instruments that can be used to improve standardized measurement of impacts and recovery for organizations following disruptions such as natural hazards.