Dr. Claire Knox

Claire Connolly Knox, Ph.D., is a Professor in the School of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and holds a joint appointment with the National Center for Integrated Coastal Research. She is the Founding Director of UCF’s Master of Emergency and Crisis Management Program, which is ranked #1 in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. Dr. Knox's core research interests are environmental vulnerability and disaster response, coastal resilience, critical theory, and cultural competency. Her co-edited book, Cultural Competency for Emergency and Crisis Management: Concepts, Theories and Case Studies, won 2021 Book of the Year Award from ASPA’s Section on Democracy and Social Justice. She has obtained nearly $5 million in grants and serves as Associate Editor of Natural Hazards Review and the Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Dr. Knox has received multiple awards for research, teaching, and service, including the 2022 Kay C. Goss for Innovation in Emergency Management Award at FEMA’s Higher Education Symposium. Prior to completing an MPA and PhD at Florida State University, Dr. Knox was an Interpretative Specialist at the USGS National Wetlands Research Center for the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act, and then a Planning Assistant with the Lafayette Parish Traffic and Transportation Department.