The department of anthropology of the Universidad de las Américas, in Cholula, Puebla, Mexico, hosted a one day seminar on natural disaster research in anthropology in early September. This theme is of great interest to our institution since we are located 40 kilometers from the Popocatépetl volcano, which entered into a period of renewed activity in 1994. Although the initial planning of the seminar was undertaken during March and April, the topic became particularly relevant after Hurricane Katrina’s arrival on the Gulf Coast of the US on August 29. Using case studies from Central and South America, our invited speakers focused on the underlying factors that create or increase risk and vulnerability, the structural weaknesses in how we perceive and manage risk, and lessons provided by both historical and archaeological records.