Dr. Robert L. Hawkins Appointed to Nasem Gulf Research Program Review Panel
Dr. Robert L. Hawkins has been selected by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Gulf Research Program to serve on a peer review panel for its 2017 Research-Practice grants competition. The $10 million funding opportunity, which is focused on “Enhancing Coastal Community Resilience and Well-Being in the Gulf of Mexico Region,” was developed in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. In seeking Dr. Hawkins’ participation on the panel, Dr. LeighAnne Olsen, Director of Strategic Initiatives for NASEM’s Gulf Research Program, cited his expertise in the use and development of social capital and in community-participatory research.
The grant program’s request for applications explained, “We are interested in projects that enhance the resilience and well-being of coastal communities by accounting for the influence of social, economic, cultural, and health factors on a community’s capacity to adapt and thrive as part of efforts to respond to the adverse impacts of climate change, severe weather, and major environmental disasters. Proposed projects should bring together researchers, practitioners, and individuals from communities, including those from community organizations, state and local government, industry, and local businesses, so that all relevant perspectives inform possible approaches to advancing the science and practice of resilience.”
In addition to having a specialization in social capital analysis and participatory action research, Dr. Hawkins brings to this appointment considerable experience in the Gulf of Mexico region. He has conducted research with low-income communities of color following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, focusing on the idea of poverty as trauma, and addressing the link between social position, negative life events, and social capital usage among low-income individuals and families.
Dr. Hawkins and his fellow members of the peer review panel will convene in Washington, DC on March 10, 2017.