IRIS faculty and researchers integrate expertise from many disciplines, including engineering, environmental sciences, social sciences, public health, landscape architecture, communication, and public policy and law. 

Affiliates are drawn from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Environment + Design, Odum School of Ecology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, Terry College of Business, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, College of Public Health, Marine Extension and the College of Engineering. Members identify themselves as engineers, designers, landscape architects, economists, ecologists, hydrologists, planners, environmental scientists, lawyers, anthropologists, geologists, meteorologists, climatologists, risk managers, foresters, and oceanographers.