Sarah Fendrich

Floods, storms, and other climate-related hazards are already disrupting lives and infrastructure, yet communities remain slow to act on proven solutions. My research centers human behavior and decision-making as leverage points for advancing hazard risk reduction at household and government scales. I focus on improving how knowledge about climate risks is developed and delivered so it is relevant, timely, and actionable for decision-makers. To this end, I study the psychological, environmental, and institutional factors that shape action on climate risks and evaluate interventions—such as decision support tools, technical assistance, and public financing programs—that aim to foster more proactive, risk-informed decisions. In particular, my dissertation focuses on flood resilience, using mixed methods to examine how local officials manage risks to critical infrastructure and communities, and how households decide where to live and how to protect their health and property. Ultimately, my goal is to generate insights that deepen understanding of the behavioral dimensions of climate resilience while helping reduce risks facing communities and infrastructure today.