A year full of research, utilisation and engagement

National awards, multiple events, high quality publications and a solid uptake of the research – all are on show in Highlights and Achievements + a year in review 2018-2019, which is being sent to all partners this week.

With a focus on the projects, the people and the organisations that make the CRC what it is, Highlights and Achievements + a year in review 2018-2019, showcases the major research, utilisation and engagement activities of the past year.

The annual report, available online here, provides a high-level reflection of the sixth year of the CRC with a look at some of the key moments of 2018-2019.

A feature of Highlights and Achievements + a year in review 2018-2019 is the case studies of how research is making an impact in our partner organisations and in our communities. This section covers:

• engineering for cyclones
• emergency warnings
• planning for animals
• understanding risk ownership
• accounting for intangible values
• community education on flood risk
• assessing bushfire risk
• child-centred disaster risk reduction
• policy development
• decision making
• reviewing resilience  
• calculating carbon abatement
• finding fires faster
• measuring vegetation flammability
• how people volunteer

The CRC was heavily involved in a range of events and activities across Australia and New Zealand. We hosted the 12th Australasian Natural Hazards Management Conference in Canberra in June, co-hosted the 6th International Fire Behaviour and Fuels Conference in Sydney in April/May, and supported the Emergency Media and Public Affairs conference in Wellington in August. Research Advisory Forums with a strong focus on utilisation were held around Australia.

Our research was also recognised nationally, with our warnings and community engagement research (Queensland University of Technology/Macquarie University) taking out the CRC Association’s top award for Excellence in Innovation, and the Emergency Media and Public Affairs conference awarding its research award and highly commended to the 2017 NSW bushfires community preparedness research (University of Wollongong) and conflicting cues for emergency warnings research (Queensland University of Technology) respectively.

In addition to bringing together researchers, partners and broader stakeholders through a calendar of workshops, forums and conferences, the primary activities for the CRC were:

• Reviewing centre operations, governance, and research quality and progress
• Delivering utilisation opportunities
• Building the capacity of the sector through postgraduate research and mentoring
• Establishing national research priorities for natural hazards emergency management
• Developing options beyond this funding period to transition to an ongoing research centre

Our research produced 12 book chapters, 56 journal papers, 34 refereed conference papers and 85 reports for end-users.

Together with our partners, the CRC is now working on a plan for 2020 with a continued focus on the use and impacts of the research program.