The journal article “Participatory Engagement to Reduce Communication Gaps” was recently published

Many underserved communities in Puerto Rico have been impacted by natural hazards, especially vulnerable coastal communities. This transdisciplinary pilot effort to engage and connect with underserved communities had a participatory engagement framework that focused on providing these communities with resources improved by addressing existing communication gaps. Several listening sessions with open-ended questions were held with interested parties representing various organizations, sectors, and disciplines to gather information on the use and usability of USGS products and tools. Aside from findings on these topics, the need for raw data for researchers; dashboards to facilitate information discovery and navigation on web pages; and accessible, simplified language also emerged from these sessions. Sessions were recorded and transcribed to facilitate qualitative analysis and were used in the production of two online resources developed in both English and Spanish: the “Shoreline Changes in Puerto Rico” geonarrative (https://geonarrative.usgs.gov/puertoricoshorelinechange/) and the “Puerto Rico Natural Hazards” website (https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/natural-hazards/science/puerto-rico-hazards). This research was made possible by the U.S. Geological Survey Risk Community of Practice. 

To read the full article, visit: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11069-024-06860-2