Director of the Natural Hazards Center and Professor of Sociology at CU Boulder, Lori Peek, has been studying the effects of disasters on children and families for decades. Her work highlights how successive catastrophes, such as Hurricane Katrina followed by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, have multiplicative effects on vulnerable populations. Peek emphasizes that the trauma and challenges faced by these communities persist long after media attention fades, leading to chronic “toxic stress” with lasting health and developmental consequences. Through her ethnographic studies, she advocates for acknowledging and addressing these prolonged struggles to build resilience against future disasters. Learn more about Lori Peek’s incredible work in an article by Cody DeBos of the Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine.
The December 2021 Marshall Fire in Boulder County, Colorado, left a devastating impact on the area. New research co-authored by Associate Professor of Geography and IBS Fellow, Colleen Reid, shows the impact of the fire was also felt indoors – via poor air quality. Over half of residents whose homes survived the Marshall Fire reported health symptoms like headaches, sore throats, and unusual tastes. Reid emphasized the potential health impacts for individuals returning to smoke- or ash-damaged homes and the necessity for protective measures. The research also revealed that indoor air quality in some homes was comparable to heavily polluted urban areas, with hazardous gases persisting for weeks. Read more from Lisa Marshall and Nicholas Goda on CU Boulder Today.
Colorado’s gang activity is homegrown, not a result of Venezuelan immigration. That’s the verdict from Interim Director for the Prevention Science Program and Professor of Sociology at CU Boulder, David Pyrooz. Pyrooz studies gangs, gun violence and prison activity. He sat down with Denver7 News’ Angelika Albaladejo to shed light on Colorado’s gang violence, explaining that gangs have a long history in the United States.
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the retirement of our student assistant, Lucas Gauthier.
Lucas has accepted an exciting new position next semester with Innosphere Ventures, a leading incubation program for high-impact science and tech companies. In his new role as a program analyst, Lucas will lead research for the Colorado-Wyoming Resiliency Engine.
Lucas joined the Institute of Behavioral Science (IBS) at the start of his freshman year, as our research closely aligned with his interests. His outstanding work spoke volumes about his dedication to the Institute. Always proactive, thorough, and helpful, Lucas consistently exceeded expectations and made a lasting impression on the IBS community:
“It’s very challenging to imagine the Institute without you! Your contributions through the years have been amazing and essential.” – Lori Hunter, Director of the Institute of Behavioral Science
“Lucas, thank you for being so efficient, independent, and helpful with the goings on at IBS. You have really helped the Monday lectures become what they are today–a central element of the life of the institute. We will miss you!” – Scott Ortman, Director of the Center for the Collaborative Synthesis in Archeology
“Thank you for all your hard work at IBS. Your positive attitude, dedication, and the care you put into everything you do have truly made a difference. We’re so grateful for the time and energy you’ve invested in our projects.” – Nicole Bryant, Director of Finance and Administration and Research Services Program Manager for the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence
Lucas Gauthier
After his sub 3-hr marathon this summer!
Lucas is not just a skier, he skis backcountry too!
When reflecting on his time at IBS, Lucas shared the value of interdisciplinary research:
“One of my biggest takeaways is the importance of interdisciplinary thinking when conducting research in the social sciences. It has been fascinating to learn how a wide breadth of subjects can contribute unique perspectives and insights towards solving important multifaceted issues.”
Lucas brings the same drive and dedication to his passions outside of CU Boulder. An avid adventurer, this past summer he accomplished three remarkable feats: summiting all 58 Colorado 14ers, running a sub-3-hour marathon, and skiing glaciers in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Lucas will graduate early in spring 2025 with a degree in Economics (Natural Resource Management emphasis), along with minors in Leadership Studies and Philosophy.
Congratulations on your next chapter, Lucas! Thank you for everything you’ve brought to IBS and for showing us what it means to #BeBoulder.
Global Real Estate Capital Markets Chair at the Leeds School of Business at CU Boulder and IBS Fellow, Stephen Billings has received the Greenwald Award for Excellence in Research on Firearm Violence Prevention. The award recognizes his pioneering research on the correlation between increased legal concealed carry of firearms and increases in firearm violence.
“I think this award is important to help promote the important research around gun violence that is going on across the country. It is an area that has consistently been underfunded and this type of recognition will help scholars recognize the importance of gun policy research in the US. I am hoping to continue to contribute to our understanding of policies that can lower gun violence.”
– Stephen Billings
Using a comprehensive dataset from Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Billings’ research shows that individuals who obtain a concealed handgun permit experience higher rates of property crime, including an increase in firearm theft. These findings were published in June 2023 in the paper, “Smoking Gun? Linking Gun Ownership to Crime Victimization” in the Journal of Public Economics.
Billings found that obtaining a concealed carry permit increased residents’ risk of crime victimization by 46%, an effect driven by a 268% increase in the risk of having a gun stolen. The paper showed that each new concealed carry permit led to a 2% increase in neighborhood crime rates and a 8% increase in crimes involving firearms. By establishing a causal link between legal gun carrying and the unintended distribution of guns into illegal markets, Billings’ paper provides credible evidence to explain how the prevalence of concealed weapons contributes to neighborhood-level violent crime involving firearms.
“There has been mounting evidence that permissive concealed carry laws are associated with increased violent crime,” Dr. Billings said, “but it has not been clear how concealed carry and violence are linked. My paper provides evidence that guns owned by new concealed carry permitholders are being stolen at high rates, and so are entering criminal markets where they are likely to be used in violent crimes.”
The Greenwald Award recognizes a research paper published in the last two years that both advances understanding of firearms violence and prevention and provides clear implications for policy development. Awardees are selected by an independent panel of judges and receive a $5,000 prize. The Greenwald Award is presented by the Research Society for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms and sponsored by the Greenwald Family Impact Foundation.
The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the Institute of Behavioral Science collaborated with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival to participate in the Human Kindness Initiative. Organized by the Parent Engagement Network on November 12, this event combined the power of art and connection to encourage safer, healthier communities. Read more about the event on CU Boulder Today, with commentary from CSPV Director, Beverly Kingston:
In Medieval England, those who experienced and survived nutritional stress in childhood suffered from higher mortality risk in middle and later adulthood. This is according to a recent study from CU Boulder Professor of Anthropology and Institute of Behavioral Science (IBS) Faculty and Fellow, Sharon DeWitte. DeWitte will discuss her bioarchaeological research at our upcoming IBS Speaker Series on December 2.
Who: Sharon DeWitte, professor of anthropology and IBS faculty and fellow
For her talk, DeWitte will clarify health patterns in the medieval period related to famine and nutritional stress. Her research used demographic and pathological data collected from human skeletal remains from the medieval period, combined with isotope data on diet. DeWitte’s findings reflect a potential environmental mismatch between early development and later life conditions in Medieval England.
“These findings suggest that the relationship between stressful childhood environments and increased risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other adult health conditions that has been observed in present-day populations might have also existed in the medieval period,” – Sharon DeWitte
This talk is specifically of interest for people who:
Want to explore the effects of developmental stress on health across the life course
Are interested in historical demography and mortality crises (famine and plague) in the past
Are interested in the kinds of information about our lives that get inscribed in our bodies
DeWitte is a leader in bioarchaeology and bioarchaeological research, specializing in the Black Death and other medieval crises. She examines various stress indicators in human skeletal remains from well-preserved, ethical excavations in England. DeWitte takes a holistic approach to her investigations, examining both the data from remains as well as people’s environment, religious and cultural context, and access to resources. It is through this multifaceted lens that DeWitte arrives at her findings, which broaden our understanding of the past and impact our understanding of health patterns today.
You can read more about DeWitte in a recent article with CUBT:
Abortion restrictions alone don’t increase child mistreatment or foster care entry. Katie Massey Combs, a research associate at the Institute of Behavioral Science, and team recently published an op-ed on this oversimplification, advising that some researchers are trying to draw this connection. While there is no direct increase in foster care entry or child maltreatment from parents who were denied an abortion, there is potential for those parents to face mental health and poverty stress. Massey and team advise we must look at this complex issue from a wider angle, or else risk stigmatizing parents and children further.
Read the full op-ed on The Imprint Youth & Family News:
Distinguished Professor of Behavioral Science, Emeritus at CU Boulder and co-founder of the Institute of Behavioral Science, Richard Jessor, recently took part in a commemorative event honoring the end of World War II. Miami Beach’s New World Symphony performed two concerts in celebration of the upcoming 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the Holocaust. Jessor was interviewed by historian James Holland at both performances, November 9 and 10.
Read more about the event from Clint Talbot and the Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine:
