We as the Amsterdam Sustainability Institute, are proud to announce that the 2026 Booster Grant of up to €20,000 for their project has been awarded to Dr. Nadia Bloemendaal en Dr. Nathan Clark for their innovative work on Hurricane Risk Communication!
Beyond the Wind
The journey toward this Grant began with a critical observation of how we communicate danger. For over 50 years, the world has relied on wind-based scales that often overlook the most lethal aspects of a storm. Dr. Bloemendaal and Dr. Clark’s research focuses on evolving the Tropical Cyclone Severity Scale (TCSS), which addresses this flaw e.g. the heavy reliance on wind categories that ignore storm surge and rainfall. Since these water-related hazards account for roughly 80% of hurricane fatalities, providing a comprehensive scale is vital to ensure people do not wrongfully perceive low-category storms as low-risk.
Putting "Hurricane Literacy" into Practice
The project moves beyond theoretical scales by designing and testing actual graphical and textual tools for the public and emergency managers. The team aims to improve "Hurricane Literacy" across the United States and the Caribbean by surveying 6,000 to 10,000 respondents. This large-scale study will evaluate which communication formats e.g. color-coded scales or word-based systems, most effectively help people understand their personal risk and take appropriate measures.
The Outlook
The interdisciplinary effort is led by pi's Dr. Nadia Bloemendaal and Dr. Nathan Clark, alongside co-pi's Hans de Moel, Jantsje Mol, Dianna Amasino, Collins Jennifer, Kees Boersma, and Laura Myers. This project acts as a springboard for future international Grant Applications e.g. Horizon Europe and the ERC Starting Grant, furthering ASI's mission to solve complex sustainability challenges through collaboration.
Once again, we are proud to congratulate Dr. Nadia Bloemendaal and Dr. Nathan Clark on receiving the ASI 2026 Booster Grant.