THE EF3 MEETS UINDY

Tornadoes are a mysterious and unstoppable force of nature that cause destruction around the world but are especially destructive in the American Midwest. Meteorologists are constantly trying to learn more about tornadoes to minimize the number of lives taken by them each year. As knowledge of tornadoes increases through the years, so do effective mitigation efforts. It’s important that businesses, families, and individuals are aware, prepared, and have a plan in place given a severe weather event. Fusing earth-space science and realistic fiction, this paper is a 3-part historical analysis that investigates what could happen if an EF3 tornado were to tear through the University of Indianapolis. It uses the history of central Indiana’s tornadic activity, student, staff, faculty and emergency personnel interviews, and current disaster preparedness efforts on campus, to gauge how the university might fare if a major tornado were to strike. This presentation will discuss the process of writing the paper as well as the impact of reading and subsequently discussing it in an introductory geohazards course.