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Three teams of early career researchers, undergraduate and postgraduate students will go head-to-head in a battle of ideas at the Disaster Challenge Final in Mandurah on 4 October.
The teams, representing the University of Western Australia, Murdoch University, James Cook University, La Trobe University, University of Queensland and Queensland Fire Department, will pitch their ideas to build trust to reduce the risk and impact of disasters to a panel of expert judges at the Department of Fire and Emergency Services Bushfire Centre of Excellence.
The Disaster Challenge, coordinated by Natural Hazards Research Australia (the Centre), is an annual event promoting different and innovative approaches to real-world wicked problems faced by Australian disaster management and resilience personnel.
Centre CEO Andrew Gissing believes this year’s wicked problem goes to the heart of successful, sustainable disaster risk reduction and resilience in Australia and around the world.
“This year’s wicked problem challenged teams to come up with nedw and actionable ways to build and sustain trust between communities and the organisations involved in preventing, preparing, responding to and recovering from disasters,” Andrew said.
“Disaster resilience relies on shared responsibility and community-led action, backed by scientific evidence and lived experience. When trust is challenged, the foundations of disaster resilience are threatened.”
Team Project OutHeat, with undergraduate and postgraduate students from the University of Western Australia and Murdoch University, is pitching community-led engagement and mobile relief during heatwaves to build multi-layered engagement and trust opportunities, especially with vulnerable communities.
Team Effective Message Dissemination is made up of James Cook University postgraduate students using human behaviour theory to develop an accessible way of communicating disaster preparedness and incident information that improves people’s understanding and prompts protective action.
Team Home Insurance Risk Reduction Options, a collaboration between postgraduate students and early career researchers from the University of Queensland, La Trobe University and Queensland Fire Department, uses home insurance incentives to encourage practical home improvements that reduce the risk of the impacts of disasters, improve resilience and build trust in emergency service agencies.
The final will be attended by emergency services and disaster resilience experts, academic leaders and scientists and tertiary students, as well as streamed nationally.
For more information, visit disasterchallenge.com.au. For media passes, interviews and further information contact Joanna Wood-Freeman, Senior Communications Officer, Natural Hazards Research Australia. 0430 633 234 or joanna.wood@naturalhazards.com.au
Disaster Challenge 2024 Final teams
Project OutHeat - Hannah Waldron (undergraduate student, University of Western Australia), Curie Thota (postgraduate student, University of Western Australia), Anika Hill (undergraduate student, Murdoch University)
Home Insurance Risk Reduction Options - Natalie Oliver (early career researcher, Queensland Fire Department), Alexandra Gunn (postgraduate student, La Trobe University and Queensland Fire Department), Lillian Norris (postgraduate student, University of Queensland)
Building trust and resilience: Improving community disaster response through effective message dissemination - Craig Ridep-Morris (postgraduate student, James Cook University), Alison Sheaves (postgraduate student, James Cook University), Madison Green (postgraduate student, James Cook University)