Gathering Examines Hurricane Risk in a Changing Climate
Over almost two decades, the 8th annual Hurricane Risk in a Changing Climate Symposium has grown into a gathering where experts in the public and private sector can grapple together with escalating risks of hurricanes in our warming world. Held in Honolulu, Hawaii, from June 2-6, 2024, this year the symposium drew 75 specialists from diverse fields—meteorologists, social scientists, engineers, and reinsurance professionals—who engaged in in-depth discussions relating to hurricane risk over the course of four days.
The evolution of the symposium’s theme over the years mirrors a deepening understanding of the multifaceted nature of hurricanes and their impacts. This year, the meeting explored evolving challenges, with sessions such as “Signal or noise? Uncertainties in the future tropical cyclone (TC) risk projection,” dissecting the intricacies of risk modeling, debating strategies for mitigation, adaptation, and comprehensive risk management. These critical discussions could help shape policies and practices that affect millions of livelihoods.
“I love the general inquisitiveness of the group that attends,” says Phil Klozbach, research scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University, who oversees the university’s seasonal tropical cyclone forecasts. “There’s some really good discussion there. I also learned about a lot more industry folks that use our seasonal forecast too.”
The symposium also served as a meeting place for the next generation of researchers, with students presenting yearlong research and receiving recognition for their contributions. Judges ranging from private industries to academia recognized three students for the presentation of their research:
Katy Hollinger Beatty, North Carolina University (Advisor: Gary Lackmann) for her work titled “Anticipating Future Tropical Cyclone Rainfall and its Influence on Transportation Infrastructure and Flooding”
Cong Gao, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Advisor: Lei Zhou) for his work titled “Ocean Subsurface has Significant Impacts on Tropical Cyclone Genesis”
Megan Blair, University of South Florida (Advisor: Jennifer Collins) for her work “How Hurricane Ian was Communicated to the Public and How they Perceived their Risk as a Result”
“It was such a great meeting. I am returning to work this week full of new ideas and recharged passion. That’s the best kind of conference,” noted Student Award Chair, Suz Tolwinski-Ward, Director of Climate Statistics at Verisk.
As the symposium concluded, it was clear that the collaborative efforts of the attendees would resonate far beyond the conference room. The dialogues initiated here are set to influence research, policy, and practice, steering a global community towards more resilient and adaptive strategies in the face of hurricane risks. As a result of the collective efforts, a peer-reviewed book related to the conference theme, published by Springer, is now available.
This year’s conference was led by AAG member, Fellow, and Distinguished Scholarship Honor Awardee Jennifer Collins (University South Florida), and co-organized by AAG member Yijie-Zhu (Florida Atlantic University). Sponsorships from the American Association of Geographers, the University of South Florida, Gallagher Research Centre, RenaissanceRe, Reask, Moody’s RMS, and FM Global supported the conference. AAG’s support assists up to eight students to receive free registration.
Learn more about the 2024 Symposium on Hurricane Risk in a Changing Climate.
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