Disasters, both natural and man-made, are inevitable in our world, yet societies often find themselves inadequately prepared to mitigate their impact. Paul Slovic, Bob Meyer and Erwann Michel-Kerjan, long-time colleagues of Howard Kunruether, will discuss the intricate web of human psychology and public policy, exploring the enduring legacy of Howard and his pioneering work in understanding why we consistently under-prepare for disasters.Howard Kunreuther, a distinguished scholar in the field of risk analysis and decision-making, dedicated his career to uncovering the cognitive biases and behavioral patterns that lead individuals, organizations, and governments to underestimate the importance of disaster preparedness. Drawing on decades of research, this presentation will discuss key factors that contribute to our collective failure in disaster readiness.We will save time at the end of the discussion for questions but also importantly for others from the audience who may want to share their own reflections on the impact of Howard's work for them.