Interest in all things natural hazards science is high, with 400 researchers, emergency managers, volunteers and industry representatives set to be in Brisbane in a fortnight for the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC all-hazards Research Forum.
Held on the first day of the AFAC16 powered by INTERSCHUTZ conference, 30 August, the Research Forum kicks off the conference and showcases the diversity of the research being conducted, not just within the CRC, but by other researchers both in Australia and internationally.
Importantly, the Forum is all-hazards, reflecting the mission of the CRC, as well as the research direction pursued by the wider international research community.
The Research Forum is a great opportunity for end-users and scientists to learn about current research, discuss partnerships and plan for the future. It has become a popular and essential part of the conference week. Speakers will cover topics such as: engineering for cyclones, prescribed burning, flood policy, heatwave risk, volunteering and leadership and decision making.
The diversity of research underway in emergency and land management will be on show, says CRC CEO, Dr Richard Thornton.
“The CRC has now had two highly successful Research Forums – last year in Adelaide was an attendance record, and 2014 was a sell-out.
“The Research Forum is not just for scientists, it is the perfect opportunity for focused discussions between the research community and emergency managers on industry issues. These discussions are more important now than ever as we continue to embed research findings into practice.
“Our partners, and indeed the wider emergency management industry, are telling us they highly value the science we are undertaking, and they are voting with their feet,” Dr Thornton said.
Three keynotes will offer an insight look at weather forecasting, disaster recovery and communicating risk.
Dr Jeff Kepert, CRC project leader from the Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research, will explain why ensemble forecasting is now used for weather predictions, helping emergency services reduce the risk of being blindsided by dangerous, but perhaps unlikely, weather.
Dr Gavin Smith of the US Department of Homeland Security's Coastal Resilience Centre of Excellence will explain how disaster policies can be improved through the inputs of the experiences of leaders who have been through a disaster, with learnings for Australia based on the US experience.
Ending the day will be Dr Craig Cormick from ThinkOutsideThe. Dr Cormick will examine why communities do not always react to warning messages, based on differing values and attitudes to risk and preparedness.
It is not too late to register. Head to afacconference.com.au to ensure you do not miss out.
With the large number of people expected for the Forum, please ensure you arrive early to ensure you do not miss the opening session. Registration is open from 8am, with the opening keynote beginning at 9am.