Drs Campbell and Spencer have examined the macroeconomic impact of extreme weather using evidence from Jamaica, work that has been published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. They have also addressed issues relating to sea-level rise due to climate change. The implications for Beach Tourism in the Caribbean as well as global environmental change from Jamaica have been published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. Drs Campbell and Spencer have also collaborated on technical reports, contributing a section on Climate Change and the Jamaican Economy in The State of the Jamaican Climate 2019 Report – Historical and Future Climate Changes for Jamaica (with the Climate Studies Group, Mona).

Dr Nekeisha Spencer continues to contribute to policy through her role as Lead Economic Researcher on the State of the Jamaican Climate (SOJC) 2019 Report for the Climate Change Indicators: Baseline and Future Projections Chapter, Economy Section. Her contribution focuses on outlining a baseline of indicators for assessing climate change impacts on the economy and projections of these indicators considering future climate change scenarios.

Dr Spencer is also engaged in the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA)/Department of Economics Data-Driven Initiative where the Department is providing advice on how to collect data and what data to collect that is beneficial to RADA for planning and policymaking purposes in the Agricultural Sector. This engagement is ongoing and is expected to establish a long-term productive relationship between both institutions.

Dr Spencer is currently engaged in using historical flood events to train real-time satellite data on rainfall to identify risk areas of such events during heavy rainfall periods in Jamaica. The project is expected to provide a model that can be used with satellite-derived real-time measurements of rainfall to identify areas at risk for flood occurrences during heavy rainfall events.

Dr Spencer is also engaged in determining the impact of natural disasters on the historical financial system in Jamaica. This study specifically uses historical savings, deposits, and loans across Jamaica. The project is expected to provide important insights on savings behaviour in the past and implications for the future.

Members of staff from the Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work have provided much needed psycho-social support in disaster recovery, such as the provision of psychological support to survivors of hurricanes. For example, Drs Aldene Shillingford, Ms Nicola Williams and Mrs Lita Allen have examined post-disaster response in the Caribbean and provided insight on the types of support needed, the important role of grassroots community-based agencies, pre-disaster preparation and proposed revisions to social work programme curriculum.

Other members of the staff such as Ms Stephanie Pinnock of the Social Sciences Faculty Office, actively provide voluntary service to Jamaica and the wider region through the Jamaica Red Cross, a division of the Emergency Services.