Etsuko Yasui

Dr Yasui completed her Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia, School of Community and Regional Planning, in December 2007. Her doctoral research investigated the recovery processes in two small Japanese neighbourhoods in the aftermath of the 1995 Kobe Earthquake. This research uncovered complex relationships between community vulnerability and capacity building. The Kobe earthquake hit the Kansai region of Japan while Etsuko was attending the University of Oregon (Eugene, OR), where she studied environmental issues and international development. Since the Kobe earthquake, Dr. Yasui has become interested in the social aspects of natural disasters, and in particular issues of social vulnerability, human development, and long-term consequences. Her current work focuses on the human impact of disasters and the assessment of community capacity in coping with such events. Dr. Yasui was born and raised in Kyoto, Japan.