In June 2012, a landslide in eastern Uganda killed dozens and left hundreds homeless. Scores of people had been buried alive in a similar disaster in the region two years earlier.

Kira Sullivan-Wiley (GRS’16) is working to prevent such catastrophes by studying Ugandans’ awareness of the risks posed by landslides and other natural disasters and then forming solutions in partnership with agencies on the ground there that could save lives and livelihoods. A PhD candidate in the College of Arts & Sciences department of earth and environment, Sullivan-Wiley was recently awarded a 2014 Moorman-Simon Civic Fellowship for her research.

Created last year by a gift from University overseer Ruth Moorman (CAS’88, SED’89,’09) and her husband, Sheldon Simon, the fellowships are awarded to outstanding doctoral students “whose research and scholarship involves vigorous engagement with civic life and seeks to establish a close partnership with the community to solve critical problems,” according to the Office of the Provost. The long-term goal of the Moorman-Simon Civic Fellowships is to establish a “generation of scholars in the academy who are committed to civic engagement” around the world. The award provides funding for tuition, fees, and a stipend
for two years.

“We were extremely pleased with the caliber of candidates we saw in this first year, all of whose work exemplifies the spirit of civic engagement Ruth Moorman and Sheldon Simon hoped to spark through these fellowships,” says Timothy Barbari, associate provost for graduate affairs and a College of Engineering professor of biomedical engineering. “All of these students, and Kira in particular, are performing outstanding, important work in a host of diverse areas and truly helping to effect positive change at the local, national, and global level.”

The population I work with is quite poor in terms of monetary income, and they are located in areas that are vulnerable to natural disasters,” says Sullivan-Wiley, who visited the region for the third time this past summer. “The community is located near a volcanic mountain in Uganda, and so the area has loose volcanic soils and lots of rainfall. As they expand and cultivate areas that have higher risks for mudslides and landslides, they are increasing the likelihood of a disaster.”

Her research examines how to reduce vulnerability to a disaster, or “disaster risk reduction,” mainly by examining the roles that organizations like the Uganda Red Cross Society and the American Red Cross play in increasing awareness and risk mitigation behaviors. She hopes to suggest ways the programs can improve getting their message across.

Sullivan-Wiley says the fellowship aligns well with her longer-range career plan: “My doctoral work is an example of the type of work I intend to conduct throughout my career—work that builds partnerships with practitioners and communities, links academic knowledge to action, and focuses on the effects of development programs on people who struggle with vulnerability to disasters.”