WKU has long been a leader in innovative applied learning focused programs including Meteorology, Geo-Sciences, Environmental Systems, Public Health, Engineering, etc.

Disaster Science brings together elements of all of these disciplines focused on all phases of disaster preparedness, mitigation, and response. WKU DSOC serves as the hub to bring together the academic programs in the form of Faculty, students, and staff with emergency preparedness practitioners and other entities.

The ongoing success of the Emergency Management Disaster Science (EMDS) Certificate and Homeland Security Sciences Masters program, coupled with the current imitative to create additional undergraduate and graduate programs position WKU Department of Earth Environmental and Atmospheric Sciences and the Ogden College of Science and Engineering as a world leader in disaster centric research to operations education preparing tomorrows Disaster.

WKU EMDS Certificates and HHS Master’s Link https://www.wku.edu/emds/

WKU began its push to develop a Disaster Science focus with the launch of the Meteorology Program in 2009. This program grew steadily from a modest starting point of nine students to a program that today has over 100 students. In 2019, certificate programs were added in Emergency Management Disaster Science at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, followed by the addition of an EMDS option for the Homeland Security Sciences Masters program housed within the Physics department.

The Disaster Science Operations Center (DSOC) was dedicated in 2022 and provides a wide range of opportunities for students in both Meteorology and Disaster Science to gain experience in real world applications providing both weather and emergency preparedness support services.

The Consortium of Disaster Science began its development in 2024 and integrates programs from all five colleges at WKU that support the various phases and operational requirements of disaster preparedness and response. These areas include Public Health, Recreation and Sports Management, Leadership, Communications, business, etc.