Sara
Belligoni
Ph. D. in Security Studies, School of Politics Security and International Affairs, University of Central Florida (2022)
Certificate in Global Affairs, Center for Global Affairs, New York University (2015)
M.A. cum laude in International Relations, Department of Political Science, Università degli Studi Roma Tre (2015)
B.A. in Political Science for Cooperation and Development, Department of Political Science, Università degli Studi Roma Tre (2012)
As a disaster scientist and geo-qualitative researcher, I prefer spending time in the field rather than behind a desk. My research explores the physical, social, and policy dimensions of disasters. I study how climate change reshapes ecosystems and intensifies extreme weather events—especially tropical storms and hurricanes— and the resulting challenges for emergency management. I also explore seismic activity and related tsunamis, advancing early warning systems and evacuation planning to strengthen community preparedness and response. My work places special emphasis on flood risk and floodplain management, as well as post-disaster energy security for medically vulnerable populations—core elements of equitable resilience. Focusing on Puerto Rico and other small islands, I engage with local stakeholders to identify specific risks, learn from the local experiences, and co-produce solutions that strengthen islands’ resilience. Driven by a commitment to scientific innovation, communication, and teaching, I collaborate with engineers, physical and social scientists to support practitioners and inspire the next generation of leaders in emergency management.
P.S. Disasters are not natural.
Spring 2026
ESA 380.01 - Special Topic: Climate Change
PMT 711.899 - Introduction to Emergency Management
PMT 764.999 - Managing Response to Large-scale Events
Fall 2025
ESA 101.01 - Introduction to Emergency Management
ESA 101.99 - Introduction to Emergency Management
ESA 215.01 - Emergency Incident Management
Scholarly Articles
Belligoni, S. (2025). Integrating Community Attachment into Post-Flooding Urban Planning: A Necessity for Thriving Towns in Puerto Rico. Encuentros.
Belligoni, S., Trader, E., Li, M., Ali, J., Rodriguez, A., Nagaraj, M., Aksha, S. K., Stevens, K. A., Wahl, T., Emrich, C. T., Qu, Z., Davis, K. O. (2025). Transdisciplinary Research Promoting Clean and Resilient Energy Systems for Socially Vulnerable Communities: A Review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. IF: 16.3
Rivera, F. I., Belligoni, S., Arroyo Rodriguez, V., Chapdelaine, S., Nannuri, V., Steen Burgos, A. (2024). Compound Crises: A Review of the Impact of Disasters and Emergencies on Mental Health Services in Puerto Rico. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. IF: 7.3 [Pre-print available at: https://tinyurl.com/mr3fz974]
Stevens, K. A., Belligoni, S. (2024). Policy Making in the Dark: The Impact of Information Asymmetry on Power Outages in Local Government Resilience Efforts. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. IF: 4.2 [Pre-print available at: https://tinyurl.com/22v4tz2s]
Belligoni, S. (2024). Held in the Grip: Political Status, Governing Institutions, and Emergency Management Procedural Arrangements in the Cases of Florida and Puerto Rico.Politics & Policy. IF: 1.4
Belligoni, S., Stevens, K. A., Hasan, S., Yu, H. (2023). Privacy and Security Concerns with Passively Collected Location Data for Digital Contact Tracing Among U.S. College Students. PlosONE. IF: N/A
Witkowski, K., Yeo, J., Belligoni, S., Ganapati, N. E., Corbin, T., & Rivera, F. (2021). Florida as a COVID-19 Epicenter: Exploring the Role of Institutions in the State’s Response. International Journal of Public Administration. IF: 1.8 [Included in the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Global Literature on Coronavirus Disease database]
Belligoni, S. (2019). Rethinking Leadership: Women Commanders, Rebel-Groups and Sexual Violence against Civilians – Cases of Colombia and Sierra Leone. Florida Political Chronicle. IF: N/A
Book Chapters
Belligoni, S. (2024). The Seveso Disaster (Italy). In A. Gill, L.A. Ritchie, and N. Campbell (Ed.). The Encyclopedia of Technological Hazards and Disasters in the Social Sciences. London: Edward Elgar.
Belligoni, S. (2024). Vajont Dam Disaster (Italy). In A. Gill, L.A. Ritchie, and N. Campbell (Ed.). The Encyclopedia of Technological Hazards and Disasters in the Social Sciences. London: Edward Elgar.
Belligoni, S. (2024). Val di Stava Dam Disaster (Italy). In A. Gill, L.A. Ritchie, and N. Campbell (Ed.). The Encyclopedia of Technological Hazards and Disasters in the Social Sciences. London: Edward Elgar.
Belligoni, S. (2023). Improving Civil-military Operations in Response to Humanitarian Emergencies. In Amb. Philips Kosnett (Ret.) (Ed.). Boots & Suits. Historical Cases and Contemporary Lessons in Military Diplomacy. Marine Corps University Press.