Hazardous Webinar: PhD research showcase

September 2023’s Hazardous Webinar was held on Tuesday 26 September and featured three PhD researchers from Natural Hazards Research Australia. 

This webinar featured three of the Centre's postgraduate research scholars - Rebecca Ryan, Fadia Isaac and Cameron Atkinson. Rebecca, Fadia and Cameron each explain their PhD research, progress so far and how their findings could be used. Replay the webinar below, or learn more about Rebecca, Fadia and Cameron’s research on uncovering fire history, helping people sleep better after a bushfire and resilient critical infrastructure below.

This webinar was part of Natural Hazards Research Australia's Hazardous Webinars series to showcase key research progress and findings each month. 

Speakers:

• Rebecca Ryan, University of Wollongong
• Fadia Isaac, Federation University
• Cameron Atkinson, University of Tasmania

Rebecca Ryan, University of Wollongong, Developing novel geochemical and spectroscopic techniques to extend the existing bushfire record

As fire regimes continue to alter in the face of climate change, there is an urgent need to develop new tools to extend our existing fire record to improve our understanding of the evolution of fire characteristics. Rebecca’s research is using FTIR spectroscopy and geochemical changes in the sediment record to determine how fire characteristics such as frequency, severity and intensity have changed throughout the recent past. These techniques aim to reconstruct a fire history for the Blue Mountains (NSW) and Namadgi National Park (ACT).  

Fadia Isaac, Federation University, Online cognitive-behaviour intervention for treatment of insomnia and nightmares in bushfire survivors

Bushfires are traumatic experiences – for both those who are impacted and emergency responders – and can drastically affect how people sleep for many years afterwards. Fadia’s PhD research has developed a treatment for these sleep disturbances including insomnia, nightmares or trauma symptoms. Fadia is currently conducting an online trial, which can be completed in a participants’ own home, allowing increased self-governance for mental health and sleep patterns. Early results are promising but more participants are required throughout 2023.

Cameron Atkinson, University of Tasmania, Creating resilient and sustainable critical infrastructure using evidence informed policy

Cameron’s PhD research is investigating governance settings, resilience and sustainability, and policy problems in the water, energy, and transport sectors. His findings will highlight the independencies between and across each sector, as well as increase the understanding of the complex relationships that exists between and across critical infrastructures.