A Department of Homeland Security Emeritus Center of Excellence led by the University of Maryland

Crisis Communication and Management


Crisis Communication and Management

Project Title Investigators Project Period
Monitor and Mitigate the Impact of COVID-19 on Public Safety Amy Pate, Barnett S. Koven, Nathan Meehan September, 2020 to December, 2021
Computational Modeling of Grievances and Political Instability Through Global Media Gary LaFree September, 2014 to September, 2019
How Forecasters Decide to Warn: Insights on Tornado Risk Communication from the Southeast U.S. Brooke Liu, Anita Atwell Seate September, 2017 to August, 2019
Managing Chaos through Crisis Communication Leadership Brooke Liu June, 2017 to May, 2018
Social Identity and Perceptions of Counterterrorism Demis Glasford July, 2012 to December, 2017
School Emergency Public Information and Warning/Information Sharing Brooke Liu, Holly Roberts October, 2015 to September, 2016
Understanding Tornado Warnings, False Alarms, and Complacency, and Proposing Theory-Directed Solutions for Effective Warnings Michael Egnoto, Brooke Liu October, 2015 to September, 2016
Comprehensive Testing of Imminent Threat Public Messages for Mobile Devices (MDP) Brooke Liu, Hamilton Bean, Marcus A. Boyd, Michele Wood June, 2012 to June, 2015
Social Media Use during Disasters Brooke Liu July, 2012 to October, 2013
Training in Risk and Crisis Communication (TRACC) Brooke Liu, Elizabet Petrun Sayers, Katherine Worboys Izsak August, 2011 to October, 2013
Building Community Resilience through Public Involvement: The Extended Community Assessment of Resilience Tool (CART-E) Betty Pfefferbaum June, 2008 to December, 2011
Preparedness for Catastrophic Events Dennis Mileti, Hamilton Bean, Kathleen Smarick, Monica Schoch-Spana, Paul Harwood November, 2008 to November, 2010
Modeling and Simulation of Public Response to Threat and Attacks Dennis Mileti June, 2005 to June, 2009
Communicating Risk of Mass Casualty Terrorism in Diverse Communities Elaine Vaughan May, 2005 to May, 2009
Effective Organizational Communication During Crises: Learning from the 2001 Anthrax Attacks Caron Chess May, 2005 to May, 2009
Best Practices for Preparing Communities: Citizen Engagement in Public Health Planning Monica Schoch-Spana May, 2005 to May, 2008
Project Title Publication Date START Authors Publication Type
A Case Study of Climate Change, Extreme Weather Events, and Risk Communication in a Coastal Community June 2019 Petrun Sayers, Elizabeth Book Chapter
A Process View of Crisis Misinformation: How Public Relations Professionals Detect, Manage, and Evaluate Crisis Misinformation June 2021 Liu, Brooke Journal Article
A Public Health Systems View of Risk Communication About Zika April 2020 Schoch-Spana, Monica; Sell, Tara Kirk Journal Article
Advancing Crisis Communication Effectiveness: Integrating Public Relations Scholarship with Practice December 2020 Jin, Yan Book
Advancing Understanding of Tornado Warnings, False Alarms, and Complacency September 2017 Liu, Brooke; Roberts, Holly; Egnoto, Michael Research Brief
Alerts and Warnings on Short Messaging Channels: Guidance from an Expert Panel Process May 2019 Sutton, Jeannette Journal Article
Beyond Image Repair: Suggestions for Crisis Communication Theory Development September 2014 Liu, Brooke; Fraustino, Julia Journal Article
Challenges and Opportunities for Pre-Crisis Emergency Risk Communication: Lessons Learned from the Earthquake Community February 2019 Herovic, Emina Journal Article
Communicating Crisis Uncertainty: A Review of the Knowledge Gaps April 2016 Liu, Brooke Journal Article
Contingency Theory: Evolution from a Public Relations Theory to a Theory of Strategic Conflict Management September 2020 Jin, Yan Book Chapter
COVID-19 Topic Dashboard: A Resource For the First Responder Community April 2021 Meehan, Nathan Research Brief
Crisis and Risk Communication Scholarship of the Future: Reflections on Research Gaps March 2020 Liu, Brooke Journal Article
Crisis Information Seeking and Sharing (CISS): Scale Development for Measuring Publics’ Communicative Behavior in Social-Mediated Public Health Crises April 2019 Jin, Yan Journal Article
Crisis Management Support for the Public and Private Sectors April 2020 Ellis, Devin Project Fact Sheet
Cry Wolf Effect? Evaluating the Impact of False Alarms on Public Responses to Tornado Alerts in the Southeastern United States April 2019 Liu, Brooke; Egnoto, Michael Journal Article
Disaster as a Social Problem and Social Construct March 2018 Tierney, Kathleen Book Chapter
Disaster Warnings in Your Pocket: How Audiences Interpret Mobile Alerts for an Unfamiliar Hazard March 2016 Liu, Brooke; Mileti, Dennis; Bean, Hamilton; Sutton, Jeannette; Wood, Michele; Madden, Stephanie Journal Article
Disasters: A Sociological Approach March 2019 Tierney, Kathleen Book
Disentangling Social Media Influence in Crises: Testing a Four-factor Model of Social Media Influence with Large Data November 2018 Liu, Brooke Journal Article
Editor's Essay: The Critical Need for Crisis and Risk Communication Research April 2019 Liu, Brooke Journal Article
Examining Signs of Recovery: How Senior Crisis Communicators Define Organizational Crisis Recovery December 2014 Liu, Brooke Journal Article
Examining the Role of Social Media in Effective Crisis Management: The Effects of Crisis Origin, Information Form, and Source on Publics' Crisis Responses August 2017 Liu, Brooke; Jin, Yan Journal Article
Facilitation of Risk Communication During the Anthrax Attacks of 2001: The Organizational Backstory October 2007 Chess, Caron Journal Article
False Alarms, Real Challenges - One University's Communication Response to the 2001 Anthrax Crisis June 2006 Chess, Caron Journal Article
From the Periphery and toward a Centralized Model for Trust in Government Risk and Disaster Communication June 2020 Liu, Brooke Journal Article
How communication theory can help counter-terrorism stakeholders September 2017 Bean, Hamilton Journal Article
How Disaster Information Form, Source, Type, and Prior Disaster Exposure Affect Public Outcomes: Jumping on the Social Media Bandwagon? January 2015 Liu, Brooke; Fraustino, Julia; Jin, Yan Journal Article
How Mobile Home Residents Understand and Respond to Tornado Warnings April 2019 Liu, Brooke; Egnoto, Michael Journal Article
How Publics’ Active and Passive Communicative Behaviors Affect their Tornado Responses: An Integration of STOPS and SMCC August 2019 Liu, Brooke; Egnoto, Michael Journal Article
Influence of Community and Culture in the Ethical Allocation of Scarce Medical Resources in a Pandemic Situation: Deliberative Democracy Study March 2020 Schoch-Spana, Monica Journal Article
Information Sharing During the University of Texas at Austin Active Shooter/Suicide Event September 2014 Egnoto, Michael Journal Article
Integrating Authorities and Disciplines into the Preparedness-Planning Process: A Study of Mental Health, Public Health, and Emergency Management May 2007 Pfefferbaum, Betty Journal Article
Is a Picture Worth a Thousand Words? The Effects of Maps and Warning Messages on How Publics Respond to Disaster Information April 2017 Liu, Brooke; Mileti, Dennis; Bean, Hamilton; Sutton, Jeannette; Egnoto, Michael; Wood, Michele; Madden, Stephanie Journal Article
Keeping Hospitals Operating During Disasters Through Crisis Communication Preparedness June 2018 Liu, Brooke; Herovic, Emina; Roberts, Holly Journal Article
Machines, Monsters, and Coffin Corners: Broadcast Meteorologists’ Use of Figurative and Intense Language During Hurricane Harvey April 2020 Sutton, Jeannette Journal Article
Measuring and Achieving Equity in Multiperiod Emergency Material Allocation June 2019 Bier, Vicki Journal Article
Mediating International Crises November 2006 Wilkenfeld, Jonathan; Asal, Victor Book
Mediation Style and Crisis Outcomes February 2006 Biswas, Bidisha; Wilkenfeld, Jonathan Journal Article
Milling and Public Warnings May 2017 Liu, Brooke; Mileti, Dennis; Bean, Hamilton; Sutton, Jeannette; Wood, Michele; Madden, Stephanie Journal Article
Mobile Technology and the Transformation of Public Alert and Warning October 2019 Bean, Hamilton Book
Monitor and Mitigate the Impact of COVID-19 on Public Safety: Literature Review March 2021 Meehan, Nathan START Reports
Perceived Media Influence, Mental Illness, and Responses to News Coverage of a Mass Shooting April 2017 Atwell Seate, Anita Journal Article
Powers and Problems of Integrating Social Media Data with Public Health and Safety September 2015 LaFree, Gary Conference Paper
Reaching Vulnerable Populations in the Disaster-Prone US Gulf Coast: Communicating Across the Crisis Lifecycle August 2019 Petrun Sayers, Elizabeth Journal Article
Research Highlight: U.S. Attitudes toward Terrorism and Counterterrorism Before and After the April 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings October 2013 Adamczyk, Amy; LaFree, Gary; Tourangeau, Roger; Presser, Stanley Research Brief
Retweeting Risk Communication: The Role of Threat and Efficacy August 2018 Sutton, Jeannette Journal Article
Risk and Crisis Communication in Schools: Understanding Current Challenges and Opportunities June 2019 Liu, Brooke; Roberts, Holly; Egnoto, Michael; Page, Tyler Book Chapter
Rumor Response, Debunking Response, and Decision Makings of Misinformed Twitter Users during Disasters May 2018 Zhuang, Jun Journal Article
Social Media Use during Disasters: A Review of the Knowledge Base and Gaps December 2012 Liu, Brooke; Fraustino, Julia; Jin, Yan START Reports
Social Media Use During Disasters: How Information Form and Source Influence Intended Behavioral Responses June 2016 Liu, Brooke; Fraustino, Julia; Jin, Yan Journal Article
Speaking with One Voice: Risk Communication Lessons from the US Anthrax Attacks June 2006 Chess, Caron Journal Article
Strategic Communication and U.S. National Security Affairs: Critical-Cultural and Rhetorical Perspectives July 2017 Bean, Hamilton Book Chapter
Taking Effective Risk and Crisis Communication for Granted? August 2013 Liu, Brooke; Petrun, Elizabeth Discussion Point
Terse Message Amplification in the Boston Bombing Response May 2014 Sutton, Jeannette Conference Paper
The Benefit of Interventions to Reduce Posttraumatic Stress in Youth Exposed to Mass Trauma: A Review and Meta-Analysis August 2019 Pfefferbaum, Betty Journal Article
The Frontiers of Uncertainty Estimation in Interdisciplinary Disaster Research and Practice May 2019 Sutton, Jeannette Journal Article
The Handbook of Communication and Security June 2019 Bean, Hamilton Book
The Role of Communication in Healthcare Systems and Community Resilience September 2017 Liu, Brooke; Petrun Sayers, Elizabeth; Roberts, Holly; Egnoto, Michael Journal Article
The Role of Homeland Security Information Bulletins within Emergency Management Organizations: A Case Study of Enactment July 2007 Bean, Hamilton; Keranen, Lisa Journal Article
The Scared, the Outraged, and the Anxious: How Crisis Emotions, Involvement, and Demographics Predict Publics' Conative Coping April 2016 Liu, Brooke; Fraustino, Julia; Jin, Yan Journal Article
The Social-Meditated Crisis Communication (SMCC) Model: Identifying the Next Frontier December 2020 Liu, Brooke; Jin, Yan Book Chapter
The SPARS Pandemic 2025–2028: A Futuristic Scenario to Facilitate Medical Countermeasure Communication March 2020 Schoch-Spana, Monica; Sell, Tara Kirk Journal Article
The Study of Mobile Public Warning Messages: A Research Review and Agenda February 2015 Liu, Brooke; Mileti, Dennis; Bean, Hamilton; Sutton, Jeannette; Wood, Michele; Madden, Stephanie Journal Article
Too Many Patients…A Framework to Guide Statewide Allocation of Scarce Mechanical Ventilation During Disasters October 2018 Schoch-Spana, Monica Journal Article
Tornado Warning: Understanding the National Weather Service’s Communication Strategies January 2020 Atwell Seate, Anita; Liu, Brooke; Herovic, Emina; Iles, Irina A. Journal Article
Toward More Audience-Oriented Approaches to Crisis Communication and Social Media Research January 2018 Liu, Brooke; Fraustino, Julia Book Chapter
Training in Risk and Crisis Communication Modules: Project Fact Sheet December 2013 Liu, Brooke; Petrun, Elizabeth Project Fact Sheet
U.S. Emergency Management in the 21st Century: From Disaster to Catastrophe December 2019 Cutter, Susan Book
Understanding Motivated Publics during Disasters: Examining Message Functions, Frames, and Styles of Social Media Influentials and Followers October 2019 Liu, Brooke Journal Article
Understanding Risk Communication Best Practices: A Guide for Emergency Managers and Communicators May 2012 Liu, Brooke START Reports
Universal Preventive Interventions for Children in the Context of Disasters and Terrorism April 2014 Pfefferbaum, Betty Journal Article
What it Takes to Get Passed On: Message Content, Style, and Structure as Predictors of Retransmission in the Boston Marathon Bombing Response August 2015 Sutton, Jeannette Journal Article
Willingness to Click: Risk Information Seeking during Imminent Threats August 2017 Sutton, Jeannette Journal Article
“Death was not in the agenda for the day”: Emotions, Behavioral Reactions, and Perceptions in Response to the 2018 Hawaii Wireless Emergency Alert February 2019 Sutton, Jeannette Journal Article
“You Are Here”: Assessing the Inclusion of Maps in a Campus Emergency Alert System March 2021 Herovic, Emina Journal Article
Title Byline
Professor Brooke Liu is second UMD professor on prestigious board
START strengthens ties to private industry with strategic partnership, publications, events
UMD researchers receive NOAA grant to improve crisis communication UMD Department of Communication Staff
Kurt Braddock’s ‘Weaponized Words’ teaches how to outtalk a terrorist Monica Pizzo
Communication during coronavirus Jessica Weiss
START undergraduate wins second place at international conference Jessica Rivinius
Research begins on Crisis Leadership project with help from FIRE students Zane Moses
Focus groups yield insight into complacency in emergency situations Jessica Rivinius
Scouting out risk communication field research Aileen St. Leger, Jessica Rivinius
New NOAA project aims to improve all hazards risk communication Jessica Rivinius
Study shows longer emergency text alerts improve safety Jessica Rivinius
Freshmen add a spark to risk communication and resilience research Joshua Nesselrodt
Risk communication researchers earn top paper awards
Prepare, respond and recover with TRACC training Joshua Nesselrodt, Holly Roberts
START’s TRACC receives FEMA approval Jessica Rivinius
‘Best practices in crisis communications’
Discussion Point: Taking Effective Risk and Crisis Communication for Granted? Elizabeth Petrun, Brooke Liu
Risk Communication Research Roundtable: Methodology and Impact Mary Beck
Researcher Spotlight: Dennis Mileti and the sociology of disaster Jessica Rivinius
START researchers awarded nearly $1 million to improve effectiveness of emergency alert text messaging Nicholas Munson
Understanding Risk Communication Best Practices and Theory Stephanie Madden
Enacting best practices in risk communication
Researcher spotlight: Hamilton Bean Kelly Kline
START participates in risk communication conference Claire Simon
START Releases 2011 Research Review
START Research Team to Develop Risk Communication Training Program
Call for Posters: Emergency Pre-Event Communication
START Launches Research Brief Series
Elliott Participates in White House Conference on School Safety
START Announces Fellowships for 2005-06
Image Title Job Title Institution
Photo of Brooke Liu Brooke Liu

Professor of Communication and START Affiliated Faculty Member

 University of Maryland
Devin Ellis

Researcher, ARLIS

 University of Maryland
Egle Murauskaite

Senior Researcher & Simulation Developer, ICONS Project, START

 University of Maryland
Holly Roberts

Affiliated Faculty, Strategic Communications Lead at Akoya
Karina Panyan

Research Assistant, Global Terrorism Database (GTD), START

 University of Maryland
Madeline Romm Madeline Romm

Researcher/Project Manager, START

 University of Maryland
Michael Egnoto

Affiliated Faculty, Clinical Informaticist at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
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