Joe Wartman directs the Natural Hazards Reconnaissance (RAPID) Facility headquartered at the University of Washington, where he is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He specializes in disaster risk reduction with a specific interest in geologic hazards and their impacts on communities. He has authored over 100 professional articles on natural hazards as well as essays and op-eds that have appeared in the New York Times, the Seattle Times, and EOS, among other popular media venues.