Next 'After Thoughts' features Arendt on disaster response
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay will host a special program for women about how communities respond to disasters from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5 in the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts foyer.
Lucy Arendt, a professor of Business Administration at UW-Green Bay, will present “In the Face of Disaster, How Resilient is Our Community?” as part of the After Thoughts series.
The presentation is particularly timely because of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
“I will weave in several stories that speak to differences in community resilience,” Arendt said of her presentation. “The Japanese people, for example, have a history of collective efficacy that will enable them to rebuild their communities. That being said, recovery after a disaster is not simply about rebuilding the same buildings or reconstructing the same roads. It’s far more complicated.”
Arendt says community recovery depends on the pre-existing economy, the availability and trustworthiness of government services, and the community’s social-cultural capital.
Arendt will show photos and discuss her trips to New Zealand, New Orleans and Mississippi.
“Any community can be affected by a disaster at any time,” Arendt said. “While there is no way for communities to guarantee their protection against disasters, there are steps that communities can take to enable their recovery. Enhancing the resilience of one’s community in advance of any disaster is the first and best step that a community can take to enable its recovery.”
The After Thoughts series is designed to connect community women with UW-Green Bay, showcase UW-Green Bay’s faculty and staff, convene women after their workday for learning, enrichment and fun, and provide “After Thoughts” for women to take with them when they leave. Cost is $11 for hors d’oeuvres and the program.
Event sponsors are the Schneider National Foundation and Billie Kress. Co-sponsors and organizers of the event are UW-Green Bay’s Bev Carmichael, assistant chancellor, University Advancement; Julia Wallace, provost; Shannon Badura, administrative specialist, Advancement; Cathy Harden, wife of Chancellor Thomas Harden; and from the Green Bay community, Lise Lotte Gammeltoft and Suzy Pfeifer.
Registration in advance is preferred for one or both programs by sending a check payable to UW-Green Bay. Mail to: UW-Green Bay Advancement, CL 805, 2420 Nicolet Drive, Green Bay, WI 54311. Walk-up registration is an option. Call (920) 465-2074 for more information.
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