We are pleased to share that Professor Tara Leytham Powell and doctoral student Babu Gounder have been awarded a Spring 2025 Small Grant from the Center for Social and Behavioral Science (CSBS) for their collaborative project, Enhancing Disaster Resilience for Vulnerable Children: Exploring Neighborhood Determinants of Hurricane Risk and Intervention Barriers.

This interdisciplinary effort, co-led by Powell and Gounder in partnership with Professor Marynia Kolak from the Department of Geography and Geographic Information Science, brings together expertise in behavioral health, environmental health, and spatial analysis. Building on Powell’s work with behavioral health interventions for children affected by disasters and Gounder’s research on environmental health using secondary data and spatial analysis, the team is exploring how neighborhood-level social, economic, and environmental conditions influence children’s vulnerability to natural disasters.

The project also examines barriers to implementing behavioral health programs, such as Journey of Hope developed through Powell’s research, across hurricane-prone regions in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. By integrating macro-level data analysis with implementation science, Powell, Gounder, and Kolak aim to develop a framework that strengthens access to mental health services and builds community resilience for children and families impacted by hurricanes.

The CSBS Small Grant Program, funded by the Office of the Chancellor, the Office of the Provost, and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, supports innovative research that advances the social and behavioral sciences while laying the groundwork for future external funding. These grants foster interdisciplinary partnerships, pilot studies, and novel methodological approaches that drive new areas of discovery.