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   Li, Yi; Li, Zhigang; Zhang, Chi (November 2023, Journal of information systems applied research)

   Hunsinger, Scott; Janicki, Thomas (Ed.)

   To investigate the state-of-the-art of virtual reality in special education, we reviewed the related research over the past ten years. Strategies and approaches of the study design have been characterized and categorized based on their research focuses. Both perspectives from the special educators and the students with special needs are addressed. This study reveals that immersive virtual reality is effective in special education, while challenges still remain in this area. We provide insights for future studies and also call for more collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and educators. 

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2. State Hazard Mitigation Plans and Social Vulnerability

   https://doi.org/10.1515/jhsem-2024-0023  

   Painter, Mary Angelica; Villarreal, Melissa; Peek, Lori (January 2025, Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management)

   Abstract U.S. states, territories, and tribal areas develop State Hazard Mitigation Plans (SHMPs) to reduce the impact of disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approves SHMPs every five years as required for states to receive disaster relief grants and mitigation project funding. In 2023, FEMA’s updated policy guidance for SHMPs took effect, recommending more robust use of social vulnerability as an assessment of equity in multi-hazard risk assessments. Such approaches are necessary because social vulnerability emerges from systemic inequities that result in marginalized populations facing disproportionate exposure and impacts from natural hazards. We developed two novel datasets on the different population groups, definitions, and measures of social vulnerability included in SHMPs for all 50 U.S. states and the 5 inhabited U.S. territories. Our analysis shows that states differ in terms of how (and if) social vulnerability is defined and measured. All plans include at least one vulnerable population in their guidance – most often the elderly, children, or people with disabilities. Inclusion of other populations such as immigrants, LGBTQIA + persons, or unhoused persons is much more varied. The study concludes with recommendations for how SHMPs can advance equitable and inclusive planning processes that center robust definitions and measures of social vulnerability and socially vulnerable populations. 

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3. Introduction to the Special Issue on the Impact of Race on Psychological Processes

   https://doi.org/10.1037/tps0000308  

   Julia Spielmann; Kathryn M. Kroeper; Alejandro Lleras; Jean E. Fox Tree (December 2021, Translational issues in psychological science)

   Race and racism shape individual beliefs and perceptions, interpersonal and intergroup interaction, and institutional processes. Psychological science can aid in critically examining how race shapes psychological processes across these levels—individual, interpersonal, and institutional. The current special issue ties together a variety of methodological approaches and presents innovative research findings about the impact of race and racism on psychological processes, shedding light on how individual, interpersonal, and institutional structures affect racial equity. Together, these articles call on the research community to critically examine our own positionality and privilege when conducting psychological research, and provide recommendations for including and, importantly, centering people from traditionally marginalized social backgrounds in our work. In the introduction for this special issue, we situate the included articles in the broader context of psychological literature, and provide a reflective summary of the articles. 

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4. Deeper Engagement with Material and Non-Material Aspects of Water in Land System Science: An Introduction to the Special Issue

   https://doi.org/10.3390/land13122095  

   Vadjunec, Jacqueline M; Fagin, Todd D; Hinsdale, Lanah M; Carrasco_Galvan, Georgina Belem; Baum, Kristen A (December 2024, Land)

   Water access and use impact land management decisions and livelihoods. Despite the integral role water plays in land systems, land system science (LSS) research often fails to explicitly incorporate water into analyses of socioecological systems (SES) resilience related to land. Nonetheless, water scarcity, especially in the face of climate change and resource degradation, is a pressing issue. Water availability is crucial to many ecosystem functions, from supporting biodiversity to mitigating extreme weather events such as flooding or drought. In this introduction to the “Water in Land System Science” Special Issue, we argue for deeper integration of land and water dynamics in LSS to increase SES resilience. First, we present an overview of the need for this integration, followed by a synopsis of the authored contributions in this Special Issue towards this goal. We then provide potential entry points researchers can use to foster this integration, exploring the following topics: water governance and hydrosocial territories, the cultural geographies of water, hydrophilia, water in agricultural transitions, remote sensing innovations, and participatory approaches to the study of the water component of land systems. We conclude that interactions between land, water, and people remain understudied, despite being more important than ever for ensuring future sustainability. 

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5. Advancing Workforce Development and Evidence-Based Practice in US Territories: An Evaluation of the Public Health Disaster Research Award Program

   https://doi.org/10.1097/phh.0000000000002156  

   Mordy, Meghan; Adams, Rachel M; Peek, Lori; Tobin, Jennifer; Thomas, Tracy N; Soler, Robin (July 2025, Journal of Public Health Management & Practice)

   Context:Many people living in the 5 inhabited US territories experience high rates of natural hazard exposure and social vulnerability to disaster impacts. Public health workforce development and evidence-based, culturally competent approaches to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery are needed in these regions. Program:In 2020, the Natural Hazards Center established thePublic Health Disaster Research Award Programwith funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The program’s goal is to advance public health disaster research and practice by funding, training, mentoring, and connecting researchers, students, and practitioners in historically underserved areas with high natural hazard risk. Between 2020 and 2022, 26 research teams received up to $50 000 each to investigate public health disasters in 1 or more US territories. The program also supported awardees by providing individual consultations, online trainings, feedback on report drafts, and a virtual group workshop on the public health implications of research. Awardees authored final reports and presented at a public webinar. Evaluation:In 2023, the Natural Hazards Center developed and distributed an online survey to all principal investigators. The survey evaluated how awardees advanced knowledge about public health disasters in the US territories; what skills, resources, and connections they acquired; and how they translated their research into public health applications and otherwise disseminated their findings. Discussion:Our evaluation showed that the program is advancing knowledge of understudied hazard contexts and socially vulnerable populations in the US territories and supports awardees in sharing their findings with academics, policymakers, and practitioners. Moreover, it expanded the public health disaster workforce by bringing professionals from a diverse range of disciplines and institutions into the field, and by investing in students, early career scholars, and investigators based in US territories. Researchers are working with local partners to apply their findings to practice. 

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