Dennis Hwang combines his science and law background to concentrate on implementing science into decisions of the public, so that hurricane, tsunami, flood, erosion, wind, and earthquake impacts are mitigated. He authored the Hawaiʻi Coastal Hazard Mitigation Guidebook, which is applied in the land use process in Hawaiʻi. A similar version was written for Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. He co-authored the Homeowners Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards, which is now in its fourth edition and being adapted for several states. Mr. Hwang is also Counsel at the Office of O’Connor Playdon and Guben and his clients include government agencies and planning departments dealing with coastal, hazard, and land use issues.

Hwang is a member of the NOAA National Focus Team for Hazard Resilient Communities, Hawaiʻi State Hurricane Advisory Committee, American Society of Civil Engineers, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, Hawaiʻi State Bar Association and is a Court Appointed Arbitrator. He believes in implementing science using a flexible approach based on a continuum of key elements. These concepts will soon be applied for portions of the Pacific Region to address hazard and sea-level rise issues.