Completed PhDs excited about future

More PhD students supported by the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC have finalised their PhDs and are beginning the next stage of their careers across the emergency and land management sector. 

CRC scholarship student Dr Emma Singh has had her thesis accepted at Macquarie University. Dr Singh completed her thesis on network disruptions when a natural hazard occurs over a long period of time. Throughout her studies Emma travelled to Japan and Italy to study the impacts of volcanoes and to understand the relationship between infrastructure, interconnectedness and exposure to these natural hazards.  

Dr Charles Newland also completed his CRC scholarship and PhD at the University of Adelaide in 2018 on how modelling can simulate disaster risk. His research aimed to improve the reliability and effectiveness of risk modelling to benefit end-users. Dr Newland is currently working as a graduate engineer in transport, planning and logistics, which has allowed him to utilise his PhD skills in spatial modelling, analytics and coding. He hopes to continue working in the engineering sector and introduce more land-use modelling into consultancy. 

“My experience with the CRC always gave me a chance to see my research in action, and to meet, talk and laugh with fellow PhD students on the journey,” Charles said. 

Dr Rachael Westcott has also completed her PhD at the University of Western Sydney. Dr Westcott’s thesis sought to advance public health in the context of natural hazards by developing best practice methods for preparedness and response in a bushfire, with the aim of enhancing community wellbeing and safety. Her thesis is available here.  

Associate student Dr Anita Amirsardari completed her PhD at the University of Melbourne in August. Dr Amirsardari investigated the response of gravity frames on reinforced concrete buildings in Australia, by developing fragility curves and undertaking three stages of performance-based earthquake engineering. She is planning to stay in academia; conducting both research and teaching in the field of structural engineering. Her thesis is available here. 

Dr Mittul Vahanvati submitted her PhD at RMIT University on owner-driven reconstruction to enhance disaster resilience in India in 2018. Her thesis focused on the adaptability of the construction sector and disaster resilience in residents that have been affected by a disaster. Her thesis focused on four case studies in rural parts of India to assess building capabilities and turning practices from ‘facilitators’ to ‘enablers’. She is currently the Chief Investigating Officer for an action-research project with the Tarnagulla community in Victoria to develop a resilience action plan. Her thesis is available here. 

Dr Wasin Chaivaranont had his thesis accepted at the University of NSW in September 2018. As a CRC associate student, Dr Chaivaranont investigated how remotely sensed degrees of curing and fuel load vary in different grasslands and how that affects fire spread modelling. Completing his PhD. Dr Chaivaranont found that grassland fire spread prediction is a challenging area and requires careful consideration of fuel related parameters and variabilities across space and time. Wasin now works at the Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited in Thailand.  His thesis is available here. 

Dr Nick Read conducted modelling for the location of lightning-caused bushfire ignitions at the University of Melbourne. As a CRC associate student, his thesis looked at two approaches to modelling ignition locations and found that lightning-caused bushfire ignition is a significant threat. Dr Read’s research will help about the misfit between the observed and simulated number of lightning-fire days for all models, although the cluster models were the least affected. Nick is currently assisting researchers at the University of Melbourne with hopes to stay in the industry and apply his findings more broadly. His thesis is available here. 

The Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC congratulates all students on their achievements and is excited to learn of their new future. 

The CRC’s PhD program supports students to deliver a research base that enhances emergency services and agencies.