Risk, extremes, and the steps toward synthesizing and managing them are fundamental challenges that society faces. This book captures these important themes comprehensively, effectively framing them for decision-makers. Bier draws upon her longstanding reputation in these fields and has assembled an exemplary set of international experts from multiple sectors and disciplines to address these critical areas. Together these contributions act as a foundation for advancing risk-based dimensions of decision-making that uniquely draw together diverse perspectives. The triangular relationships among science, organizations and public perceptions are evident in this work. Extending beyond theory, these elements are applied to a rich and enduring set of cases of extremes that reflect the range of decisions that risk managers face. - Rae Zimmerman, Ph.D, Professor of Planning and Public Administration, New York University – Wagner Graduate School of Public Service