Thomas E. Drabek, disaster researcher and prolific author of disaster literature, has been my favorite in both categories since I was introduced to his work in one of my first Crisis and Disaster Management (CDM) courses at the University of Central Missouri. His disaster research work and writings motivated and inspired me to consider becoming a disaster researcher. Before reading Drabek's work and in particular his book, The Human Side of Disasters, (Drabek, 2010), I was uncertain about my future role in the CDM. As I worked to complete my CDM degree I hoped that along the way I would discover a particular passion in the field that would in turn lead to a vocation. My interests have always turned to human behavior, its reasons and the processes involved in its evolution and I wondered how I would integrate it into emergency management work. After exposure to Drabek, my interest in disaster research was born. His approach to research, as explained in Chapter 5, “Following Some Dreams,” in Stallings' Disaster Research Methods, is worthy of emulation: My work has always been guided by three goals: (1) to test and extend the sociological theory relating to human response to disaster; (2) identify insights relevant to emergency management professionals; and (3) communicate findings to both the academic and practitioner communities. (Stallings, 2002, p. 127) For over four decades, Drabek's goals have been driven by his curiosity, facilitated by his flexibility in using research methods, and driven him to contribute voluminously to the knowledge base regarding diverse aspects and conditions of human responses to disaster. His warning...... half of the paper ......l of Mass Emergencies and Disasters 1: 277 – 305.Drabek, T. E. (1987). The Professional Emergency Manager: Structures and Strategies for Success. Boulder, CO: University of Colorado, Behavioral Sciences Institute, Program on Environment and Behavior. Drabek, T. E. (1990). Emergency Management: Strategies for Maintaining Organizational Integrity. New York: Springer Verlag. Drabek, T. E., Hoetmer, G. J. (eds.) (1991). Emergency Management: Principles and Practice for Local Government. Washington, DC: International City and County Management Association.McEntire, D. A. (ed.) (2007). Disciplines, disasters, and emergency management: Convergence and divergence of concepts, issues, and trends from the research literature. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.Stallings, R.A. (ed.) (2002). Disaster research methods. International Disaster Research Committee.