Weather and Society

DR. EVE GRUNTFEST is a geographer who has devoted her career to breaking down the barriers that separate social science and atmospheric science. She is Professor Emerita from University of Colorado at Colorado Springs where she taught for 27 years. She has published widely and is an expert in the areas of warning systems and flash flood mitigation. During her career, she served on five National Academy of Science committees. She directed Social Science Woven into Meteorology (SSWIM - www.sswim.org) and is co-founder of the Weather and Society * Integrated Studies (WAS*IS) movement. She was a program officer in the Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences Division at National Science Foundation and a member of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Science Advisory Board.

Acknowledgments x

Preface xii

1 The Need for Integrated Approaches to Weather and Society 1

1.1 Rationale for This Book 1

Research Spotlight Box: Forecasts are Improving Dramatically 3

1.2 The Audience for This Book 8

1.3 Defining Weather and Society: Integrated Approaches 10

1.4 What Social Sciences Have in Common with Each Other and with Atmospheric Science? 15

1.5 Social Science Methodologies 18

1.5.1 Surveys 18

1.5.2 Direct Observations 19

1.5.3 Participatory Action Research 19

1.5.4 Focus Groups 20

1.6 What Is Not Social Science? 21

1.7 Doing Social Science Versus Incorporating Societal Impacts 22

1.8 Questions for Review and Discussion 23

1.9 Using What You’ve Learned: Homework Assignment From the Chapter 24

References 25

2 History of the Movement to Integrate Social Science Into Atmospheric Science 29

2.1 Early Weather Forecasting for Impacts 29

2.2 Historians and Weather 30

2.3 Weather and Society Efforts Build on Natural Hazards Research and Practice 32

2.3.1 Efforts to Add Social Dimensions to Solving Weather Problems 35

2.3.2 Weather and Society * Integrated Studies—WAS*IS 36

2.3.3 Integrated Warning Team Meetings 39

2.3.4 American Meteorological Society Summer Policy Colloquium 39

2.3.5 Social Science Woven into Meteorology (SSWIM) 39

2.3.6 VORTEX‐Southeast 42

Research Spotlight Box: Doing Social Science Reveals Challenges to Accepted Assumptions 43

2.4 Physical Science Myths Related to Climate and Applicable to Weather 45

2.5 Meteorological Aspects of Non‐Meteorological Hazards 48

2.6 Research That Evaluates What People Did When They Heard a Warning: Hurricane Ike 2008 Case Study 50

2.7 Questions for Review and Discussion 53

2.8 Using What You’ve Learned: Homework Assignment From the Chapter 54

References 55

3 Social Science Partners and the Weather/Society Work They Do 59

3.1 The Partners and How They Do Their Work 61

3.2 Anthropology 64

3.3 Communication 68

3.4 Economics 71

3.5 Geography 76

3.6 Psychology 83

3.7 Sociology 87

3.8 Questions for Review and Discussion 94

3.9 Using What You’ve Learned: Homework Assignment From the Chapter 96

References 97

4 Thirteen Profiles of Leaders in Weather and Social Science 105

4.1 Angle’s Recommendations for Integrating Social Science and Atmospheric Science 108

4.2 Dr. Becker’s Recommendations for Integrating Social Science and Atmospheric Science 109

4.3 Dr. Demuth’s Recommendations for Integrating Social Science and Atmospheric Science 112

4.4 Dobson’s Recommendations for Integrating Social Science and Atmospheric Science 114

4.5 Fransen’s Recommendations for Integrating Social Science and Atmospheric Science 116

4.6 Holthaus’ Recommendations for Integrating Social Science and Atmospheric Science 118

4.7 Dr. Lazrus’ Recommendations for Integrating Social Science and Atmospheric Science 120

4.8 Dr. Morss’ Recommendations for Integrating Social Science and Atmospheric Science 122

4.9 Moulton’s Recommendations for Integrating Social Science and Atmospheric Science 124

4.10 Dr. Ruin’s Recommendations for Integrating Social Science and Atmospheric Science 126

4.11 Dr. Schumacher’s Recommendations for Integrating Social Science and Atmospheric Science 127

4.12 Spinney’s Recommendations for Integrating Social Science and Atmospheric Science 129

4.13 Vitols’ Recommendations for Integrating Social Science and Atmospheric Science 131

4.14 Questions for Review and Discussion 132

4.15 Using What You’ve Learned: Homework Assignment From the Chapter 132

References 133

5 Moving Toward Integrated Weather and Society Research and Practice—A New Paradigm 134

5.1 How Social Scientists and Meteorologists Work Together to Create New Scientific Conceptual Models and Methods: Start with Adjacent Projects 134

Case Study: Schools and Tornado Saferooms 135

Case Study: Storm Surge Warnings From the NWS—Moving From Adjacent Social Scientific Collaboration to Integrative Collaborations 137

Case Study: Required Integrated Research: National Science Foundation Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems Program 139

5.2 Increased Popularity for How Important It Is for Meteorologists to Understand Some Social Science 140

5.3 Possible New Common Ground for Integrated Approaches to Weather and Society: Emergence of Convergence Science 140

5.4 Socio‐Meteorological Testbeds 145

5.5 Wicked Problems and Momentum In the Movement Toward Integrated Weather‐Society Science 146

5.6 Hard or Soft Science? Evening the Playground Between the Sciences 147

5.7 Human Machine Interface 148

5.8 Questions for Review and Discussion 151

5.9 Using What You’ve Learned: Homework Assignment From the Chapter 151

References 152

6 Ways to Be Part of the Transformation to Integrated Weather Studies 156

6.1 Be Part of the Move From WAS to IS 156

6.2 Understand the Cycle of Change 157

6.3 Keep the Momentum Going Toward the Integration of Social and Atmospheric Science 160

6.4 Build Durable Partnerships—Recognize the Power of Networking 161

6.5 Support May Come From Surprising Sources 163

6.6 Five Key Research Priorities for New Hybrid Weather Society Researchers and Practitioners 163

6.7 How Science Changes 173

6.8 Socio‐Hydrology Emerges 174

6.9 New Integrated Disciplines on the Horizon 175

6.10 Changing the Paradigm Takes Time and Will Require Patience 177

6.11 Hybrids By Design—Socio‐Hydro‐Meteorology 178

6.12 How to Become a Participant in the Movement to Integrate the Social Sciences and Atmospheric Science 180

6.13 The Challenges Are Not Overwhelming 181

6.13.1 Scientific Budgets Are Lean 181

6.13.2 Be Patient and Optimistic and Keep Pushing 181

6.14 Meteorologists Embracing Social Science Is a First Step 182

6.14.1 Be Part of the Integrated Studies Movement 183

6.14.2 Work Out Wide‐Open Ways for Partners to Thrive 183

6.15 Work for the Longer Term 184

6.15.1 New Integrated Graduate Programs and New Integrated Training Models 184

6.15.2 Positive Outlook for Careers for People with a Background in Integrated Studies 185

6.15.3 Climate Change will Exacerbate the Need for Integrated Weather–Society Research and Practice 186

6.16 Questions for Review and Discussion 188

6.17 Using What You’ve Learned: Homework Assignment From the Chapter 188

References 190

Appendices

Appendix A: List of Acronyms 194

Appendix B: Blogs and Websites that Integrate Weather and Society 196

Appendix C: Other Relevant Web Resources 199

Addendum 200

Index 203