Abbey Hotard, a postdoctoral researcher based at the University of Delaware, is Texas A&M University’s first Marine and Coastal Management and Science doctoral graduate.

Born and raised in Greater New Orleans and a     self-described “Katrina kid,” Dr. Abbey Hotard ’19, ’23, has a personal stake in the resilience of   coastal communities. After experiencing disaster firsthand, her research focuses on the considerations residents face when deciding to relocate or accept home buyouts to reduce the risk   of future disasters.

“I study the human dimensions of adapting to changing coastal hazards,” said Hotard, the first graduate from the Marine and Coastal Management and Science (MCMS) doctoral program. “In other words, I’m interested in how people make decisions about where to live and how to protect themselves from increasing flood risks.”

Hotard recently started a two-year postdoctoral research fellowship with the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware, the oldest research center dedicated to the social study of disasters. Hotard’s team focuses on the potential conflict and tradeoffs associated with fostering disaster resilience, maintaining economic prosperity, and promoting social equity within coastal communities. Although the fellowship is located in Delaware, the Texas Gulf Coast faces similar challenges as the need for disaster resilience is universal.

Learn more about Abbey Hotard and her latest accomplishment in this feature from Texas A&M University’s newsroom.