Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Date

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Earth Sciences

Committee Chair

Arleen Hill

Committee Member

Dorian Burnette

Committee Member

Youngsang Kwon

Abstract

Social vulnerability is essential for research and as a framework in disaster management. Despite a common understanding that social vulnerability is spatially and temporally variable, the ways in which it is variable are not well understood. This research examines the dynamic nature of social vulnerability through two indices (SoVI and SVI) at a census tract-level using Fuzzy-C Means clustering and spatial analyses. Drivers of vulnerability are examined to understand what influences place-based vulnerability and discover how those drivers vary across space. Findings suggest that Fuzzy-C Means clustering is effective in creating interpretable groups of vulnerability indicators that are consistent with overall SoVI and SVI. Rural and urban contributions to social vulnerability as well as the attributes of places that are consistently the least and the most socially vulnerable are identified and described. While this work focuses on spatial and temporal patterns in vulnerability, future research will be applied to resilience.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.”

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest/Clarivate.

Notes

Open Access

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