The Associate Student program is in full swing with an additional five postgraduate students joining Natural Hazards Research Australia’s research network.
Harikesh (University of the Sunshine Coast) PhD will map fire risk probability, predict fire points and model fire spread across flammable forest areas in Australia to develop a fire risk probability model using a two-step analytic hierarchy process approach with cross-validations of support vector machine model outputs. The title of his study is: An empirical and dynamic tool for the prediction of forest fire spread using remote sensing and machine learning techniques.
Susan Atkinson’s PhD project at the University of Canberra aims to better understand the perspective and communication needs of people threatened by natural hazards. Susan is investigating how people sourced and shared information during the 2019/20 Canberra bushfires and 2022 Brisbane floods. By exploring how threatened communities perceive their role in crisis response, and investigating how people, think, feel and respond to information in a crisis, Susan will bridge the gap between community information needs and official communication approaches, contributing to knowledge around crisis communication through the development of more inclusive models and recommendations. Her PhD is titled, Understanding people’s communication needs in a natural disaster crisis.
Suki Jaiswal’s research, conducted through the University of New South Wales, aims to increase the understanding of how bushfire smoke affects the ocular surface of the eye, the interface between the functioning eye and the environment. Her PhD, Impact of bushfire smoke on the ocular surface, will determine what symptoms occur with exposure to bushfire smoke to understand the consequences of repeated exposure to bushfire smoke for frontline emergency workers. This research will provide a greater understanding of the susceptibility of the eye’s ocular surface to bushfire smoke. Findings will help to provide adequate preventative and management options.
Tony Jarrett’s PhD at CQUniversity is exploring how volunteer firefighters acting as expert partners in classrooms influence Year 5 and 6 education and disaster resilience outcomes during a bushfire unit of study. Using New South Wales as a case study, Tony’s research will consider the real-world challenges of bushfire risk and disaster risk reduction in a local context. He will engage with educators and the emergency services to deliver research that will make a difference to young people in their local setting. Tony’s PhD title is: Agency experts support bushfire disaster resilience education with primary school students.
Sheriden Keegan is conducting her PhD with Griffith University, exploring how to strengthen community resilience in regional Australia through enhancing local and regional food supply to achieve greater food security. Her research is discovering that regional food system development and coordination could enhance regional food contingency planning and longer-term community resilience. Sheriden was part of the Beacons of Hope team that placed second in the 2022 Disaster Challenge and her PhD is titled, Enabling governance for sustainable and resilient regional food system development in Australia.
Through the Associate Student program, the Centre provides opportunities for students undertaking postgraduate research in a relevant field to become part of the natural hazards research community in Australia and New Zealand. As part of this network, students will be able to participate in professional development activities offered by the Centre, apply for short-term placements in partner organisation, apply for funding support and more. Find out more about the Associate Student program and how to apply here.
As associate students, Harikesh, Susan, Suki, Tony and Sheriden join the Centre’s broader Postgraduate program, which includes seven other associates, 12 PhD scholarship students and the Centre’s first Early Career Research Development Fellow.