Research with Impact: Provoke, Inspire, Challenge, Be Involved
Natural hazards research – what is it, what’s being done now, how can we effectively use it and what still needs doing in the future? Delegates contributed to discussion that answered these questions at the 2023 Natural Hazards Research Forum from 1–3 May.
The Forum brought together a diverse group of people from research, government, industry and community, with many chances to share knowledge and learn more about the current state of natural hazards research to impact the future.
The annual Forum, supported by RMIT University, ensures that new natural hazards research is relevant, useful and dynamic to the changing needs of our society.
Date and time: Monday 1 May - Wednesday 3 May (A special session just for students and ECRs began earlier on Monday)
Where: Storey Hall, RMIT University, Melbourne City Campus
Program: Download the final program here.
The Forum was an in-person event with online access covering the main auditorium presentations, but not the workshops on Day 3.
The three-day program included keynotes, presentations, panel discussions and workshops tailored for an audience of natural hazards researchers and industry representatives, with plenty of opportunities to network. With a strong emphasis on engagement, discussion and knowledge sharing, the Forum presented a unique opportunity to learn more about and get involved with the Centre’s current natural hazard research projects.
Keynote speakers included Brendan Moon (Coordinator-General for Emergency Management at the National Emergency Management Agency), Prof Daniel Aldrich (Northeastern University, United States) and a special opening session on urban heat impacts with Tiffany Crawford (Chief Heat Officer, City of Melbourne), Judith Bruinsma and Kelly Gee, "Turn down the heat strategy" (Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils).
Short research project presentations covered the wide range of topics in the Centre’s research program, focusing on disaster risk reduction and resilience, learning from recent disasters, policy and strategy, community resilience, healthy landscapes, situational awareness, operational response, future workforces and more, with an incredible line-up of research leaders presenting their work. As part of the project presentations, Day 3 opened with an exclusive launch of the key research findings from the New South Wales and Queensland stream of the Community experiences of the 2022 Australian floods project, followed by a workshop to help unpack the impact of these findings.
Workshops offered enhanced engagement across the program, with several workshop streams land-use planning and resilient recovery, flood and extreme weather risk mitigation, bushfire and prediction risk mitigation, and next-generation capability. Workshops were a great chance to become more involved with the research – learning more about the work being done, meeting the people involved and contributing firsthand to the needs and uses of research outcomes.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the event or registration, please contact Events Officer, Vaia Smirneos vaia.smirneos@naturalhazards.com.au.