Natural Hazard Resiliency Experts

We perform an important function in assessing different types of vulnerabilities and needs for local, state, tribal and federal government, the private sector, and nonprofits. We reinforce community efforts to prevent or reduce losses from natural disasters by combining geospatial analysis, modeling, and outreach activities. Our disaster (or crisis) informatics initiatives support disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery activities. We design and develop open source as well as Esri technology-driven information systems through which to explore the interconnectedness of people, place, community, information, and technology. We also design and implement research to assess the physical, social and economic impacts of hazards. For more information, please download our Geoinformatics general information brochure, multihazard mitigation planning brochure, and Geoinformatics expertise flyer.

The Polis Center at IUPUI plays a critical role in solving complex community-centered problems, using spatial data, with a focus on supporting disaster mitigation and responsiveness to climate change and its repercussions.

Our strengths are in developing multi-hazard mitigation plans (MHMP); developing FEMA Risk Mapping, Assessment and Planning (Risk MAP) compliant flood data, maps, and documents; modeling the economic and social effects of natural disasters and planning activities to mitigate them; collaborating with local experts to understand and apply results for place-based community solutions; performing spatial analysis; and creating ArcGIS Online dashboards, story maps, and applications to effectively communicate with stakeholders.

Polis also collaborates with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, with which we are a federally recognized Cooperating Technical Partner (CTP), to address ways to understand and mitigate the risk of flooding and to develop required mitigation plans in a number of Indiana counties.

Polis is a leader in disaster mitigation for greater resiliency and responsiveness to the impact of climate change.

Our services include:

Spatial Analysis Create Actionable Information Develop Knowledge Platforms
  • Assess physical vulnerabilities
    and social and economic
    impacts of natural disasters
  • Help organizations and
    communities define, measure,
    and increase their sustainability
    and effectiveness.
  • Create mitigation plans that lead
    to more resilient communities
    and eligibility to apply for
    federal mitigation grants.
  • Perform analysis to support
    better decision-making about
    community resilience, health,
    and well-being.
  • Offer professional training
    in GIS and other geospatial
    technologies used in disaster
    risk assessment and mitigation
    planning.
  • Develop information that
    empowers and transforms
    communities through applied
    research, analysis, modeling,
    strategic planning, and
    evaluation.
  • Apply spatial analysis and
    statistical methods to model
    communities in creative
    ways.
  • Help organizations plan for
    their future and evaluate the
    effectiveness and impact of
    their programs.
  • Create information systems to
    explore the interconnectedness
    of people, places, infrastructure,
    and events and reveal trends
    and patterns about important
    community challenges.
  • Develop data warehouses,
    portals, and dashboards to
    integrate, analyze, manage,
    and share data in easy-to-use
    formats such as maps and other
    meaningful visualizations.

Projects

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State of Indiana and County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Planning
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Hazard Mitigation Inventory Development
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Flood risk assessment and protection plans
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Polis supports state's emergency management of natural disasters through Indiana Data Harvest