Rodolfo Hernandez

Education

• B.A. Anthropology from Universidad de Los Andes (Bogota, Colombia, 2006). 
• Spec. Multimedia Design from Universidad Nacional de Colombia (Bogotá, Colombia, 2008).  
• M.A. Philosophy of Science and Technology from Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Wuhan, China, 2012). 
• Ph.D. Philosophy from the Institute of Science, Technology, and Society, Tsinghua University (Beijing, China, 2017). 

Research

• Qualitative Mapping / Social Cartography
• Participatory Mixed-Methods
• Environmental governance 
• Compound hazards & disasters
• Risk Communication

I am a social scientist who studies the intersection of environmental governance, technoscientific cultures, and public participation in science. My research trajectory expands internationally (USA, China, and Colombia) on topics about the politics of air quality, socioenvironmental land planning, natural hazards, and disasters. I am interested in transdisciplinary research collaborations that enhance the dialogue between scientists, decision-makers, and society, aiming to bridge the gap between scientific research and public understanding. At Texas Tech, I co-lead research projects shaping bilingual (Spanish-English) risk communication that impacts how Hispanic and Latino communities prepare for hurricanes and wildfires. I also teach a qualitative mapping course at graduate and undergraduate levels and direct the Qualitative Map Lab, mentoring students on qualitative GIS, social cartography, and participatory geographic methods.

 

Synergistic Activities

Chair of the Editorial Collective of the Journal of Disaster Studies

Co-Director of the Risk and Equity in Disaster (RED) Lab, Texas Tech University 

Member of the AMS Committee for Hispanic and Latinx Advancement (CHALA)