Daniel Aldrich is a Dean's Professor of Resilience and Director of the Resilience Studies Program at Northeastern University , affiliated with the College of Social Sciences and Humanities and Political Science Department . His career spans decades of research on disaster resilience , social capital , and post-crisis recovery , with fieldwork across Japan, India, and Africa. Education : PhD and MA in Political Science from Harvard University, MA from UC Berkeley, BA from UNC Chapel Hill. Leadership : Co-Director of Global Resilience Institute, Board member of journals Asian Politics and Policy and Risk Hazards and Crisis in Public Policy . Research Focus centers on social capital's role in disasters , controversial facility siting , and countering violent extremism . His work reveals how community networks enhance survival rates during tsunamis, hurricanes, and pandemics, and how decentralized decision-making improves recovery. Scientific Contributions include groundbreaking studies on Fukushima nuclear policy , social ties in evacuation behavior , and resilience through rainwater harvesting . His 2019 book Black Wave analyzes Japan's 3/11 disasters. Grants : NSF, Fulbright, Abe Foundation, Rasmussen Foundation, Japan Foundation. Awards : TIER 1 NEU Award, AAAS Fellowship, NSF Research Center Grant, University Faculty Scholar (Purdue). Media Engagement spans New York Times , CNN , AP , Reuters , and NPR , with over 50 media appearances in 2025 alone. He consults for the New England Aquarium and Louisiana Coastal Protection Authority .






