A Seminar Series Hosted by the Department of Epidemiology
On September 11, 2001, nearly 87% of occupants in World Trade Center Towers 1 and 2 evacuated within two hours—one of the largest workplace evacuations in U.S. history. However, evacuation times varied widely, prompting an interdisciplinary public health study to explore the contributing factors. In this seminar, Dr. Gershon will present findings from qualitative and quantitative data analysis from approximately 10% of survivors, highlighting individual, organizational, and environmental factors that influenced evacuation. She will also discuss how the research informed intervention strategies and policy changes to improve high-rise emergency preparedness and response.
Dr. Robyn Gershon is an interdisciplinary occupational and environmental health and safety researcher with extensive experience in the areas of disaster preparedness, healthcare safety, and risk assessment and management in high-risk work occupations. She earned her Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) from Johns Hopkins University, School of Public Health, where she was on faculty for several years.