Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Household Preferences For Financing Hurricane Risk Mitigation: A Survey Based Empirical Analysis, Damon Fitzgerald

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After a series of major storms over the last 20 years, the state of financing for U.S. natural disaster insurance has undergone substantial disruptions causing many federal and state backed programs against residential property damage to become severally underfunded. In order to regain actuarial soundness, policy makers have proposed a shift to a system that reflects risk-based pricing for property insurance. We examine survey responses from 1394 single-family homeowners in the state of Florida for support of several natural disaster mitigation policy reforms. Utilizing a partial proportional odds model we test for effects of location, risk perception, socio-economic and housing …

Adaptation Preferences And Responses To Sea Level Rise And Land Loss Risk In Southern Louisiana: A Survey-Based Analysis, Sandra Maina

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Currently, southern Louisiana faces extreme land loss that could reach an alarming rate of about one football sized swath of land every hour. The combined effect of land subsidence and predicted sea level rise threaten the culture and livelihood of the residents living in this region. As the most vulnerable coastal population in Louisiana, the communities of south Terrebonne Parish are called to adapt by accommodating, protecting, or retreating from the impacts of climate change. For effective preparation planning, the state of Louisiana needs to 1) understand the adaptation preferences and responses of these residents and 2) involve these vulnerable …

Identification Of Characteristic Volatile Organic Compounds Released During The Decomposition Process Of Human Remains And Analogues, Norma Iris Caraballo

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The manner in which remains decompose has been and is currently being researched around the world, yet little is still known about the generated scent of death. In fact, it was not until the Casey Anthony trial that research on the odor released from decomposing remains, and the compounds that it is comprised of, was brought to light. The Anthony trial marked the first admission of human decomposition odor as forensic evidence into the court of law; however, it was not “ready for prime time” as the scientific research on the scent of death is still in its infancy.

This …