New Paper

[Lori Peek]

Dear Friends and Colleagues,  

We are writing to share our new paper, “Research as Part of the Legislative Process: Lessons from a Statewide Evidence-Based Study of Inclusive Emergency Alerts,” which was recently published in Natural Hazards Research. The paper is freely available for download here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nhres.2026.02.006. As appropriate, thank you for sharing this with students and colleagues. 

With every warm wish, always, 

Lori on behalf of the entire co-author team  

Painter, Mary Angelica, Melissa Villarreal, Carson MacPherson-Krutsky, Lori Peek, Elizabeth Velasco, and Jolie Breeden. 2026. “Research as Part of the Legislative Process: Lessons from a Statewide Evidence-Based Study of Inclusive Emergency Alerts.” Natural Hazards Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nhres.2026.02.006 

 

Abstract: Scientific research can help inform policy decisions, especially when research is integrated into the legislative process. This paper explores research included in Colorado House Bill 23-1237, which was passed in 2023. This bill tasked our research team at the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado Boulder to conduct a study on inclusive emergency alerting in Colorado. Throughout this project, our research team worked with policy makers, practitioners, and members of the public to carry out a rigorous and community-grounded study. The research and collaborative process resulted in several key lessons, including: (a) ensuring that the research scope aligns with the language of legislation, (b) involving key partners to build trust and impact, (c) being transparent throughout the study and communicating constraints, and (d) providing opportunities for feedback from diverse members of the public. Lessons outlined in this paper can help guide researchers interested in contributing to research funded through legislative appropriations. 

 

Lori Peek, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Sociology

Director, Natural Hazards Center and CONVERGE

Principal Investigator, Social Science Extreme Events Research (SSEER) Network and Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Extreme Events Research (ISEEER) Network 

University of Colorado Boulder

https://hazards.colorado.edu/biography/lori-peek