Editors: The workshop is not open to the public but reporters are welcome to attend. For a complete schedule of events call (303) 492-6818.
Nearly 400 people will meet in Boulder July 15-18 when the University of Colorado Natural Hazards Center presents its 26th annual workshop dealing with floods, hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters.
Topics will include disasters and the media, human rights and disasters, bioterrorism as a "natural" hazard and a July 15 field trip addressing the growing threat of wildfires. The keynote address will be given by Mike Brown, chief counsel of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington, D.C., on July 16 at 9:30 a.m.
The international gathering attracts engineers, emergency managers, planners, insurers, academics and government officials from the United States and several other nations. They are the researchers and front-line managers who deal with the human and economic impacts of extreme natural events.
The interdisciplinary workshop will be held at the Millennium Hotel Boulder, 1345 28th St. in Boulder.
The annual Natural Hazards Workshop was launched in 1976 by Distinguished Professor Gilbert White, founder of the CU-Boulder Natural Hazards Center, and at that time was unique in its interdisciplinary approach to the topic. The workshop's success has led to similar types of gatherings.
The Natural Hazards Center, part of CU-Boulder's Institute of Behavioral Science, is funded by a consortium of agencies including the National Science Foundation and FEMA. The center serves as an information clearinghouse for disaster professionals and publishes several periodicals including a free e-mail newsletter sent to 2,400 recipients around the world.
For information visit the center's Web site at .