GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – An East Carolina University assistant professor has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar award to study how places of worship serve as vital hubs for disaster recovery and community resilience.<\/p>\n
Dr. Jason M. Pudlo, who teaches in ECU\u2019s Department of Political Science and serves as a Water Resources Center affiliate, will conduct his research in Canada during the 2026-27 academic year.<\/p>\n
Pudlo will travel to the University of Regina in Saskatchewan from January through May. His work will examine the role religious institutions play in relief efforts, their capacity to assist, and how their coordination compares across the U.S. and Canadian emergency management systems.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is pretty exciting, and I want to thank everyone involved at ECU, the University of Regina, my colleagues and family,\u201d Pudlo said.<\/p>\n
Pudlo\u2019s research aims to map out local religious networks and denominational houses of worship active in relief efforts to help government emergency managers better utilize local resources.<\/p>\n
The findings could prove especially critical in the United States as federal policies increasingly push state and local leaders to take on larger responsibilities in disaster management, the release states.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnderstanding how houses of worship fit into the disaster relief system will help link emergency managers to local resources in both the United States and Canada,\u201d Pudlo said.<\/p>\n
The research also builds on Pudlo\u2019s recent work in western North Carolina analyzing the local response to Hurricane Helene, aiming to translate those lessons into future disaster planning.<\/p>\n
The Fulbright Program is a joint treaty-based exchange program supported by the U.S. Department of State and Global Affairs Canada, designed to foster international academic collaboration and cultural understanding.<\/p>\n
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