Return to Index of Disaster Research Newsletters
Maurice Lamontagne, Eng., Ph.D.
Seismologist
Geological Survey of Canada
7 Observatory Crescent
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1A 0Y3
Tel: (613) 995-0600
Fax: (613) 992-8836
E-mail: maurice@seismo.nrcan.gc.ca
WWW: http://www.seismo.nrcan.gc.ca/staff/maurice
I'm writing to ask for your help in identifying junior scholars who might be interested in coming to the Disaster Research Center during the 2000-2001 academic year, either as postdoctoral research fellows or as full- or three-quarter-time research associates. DRC is currently conducting several very interesting projects that require a range of research and data collection and analysis skills. We have been supporting postdocs for the past two years, and we would like to continue to provide funding for new disaster and hazards scholars who would be willing to relocate to Delaware to join our staff.
Please call or send me an e-mail if you know of candidates you would like to recommend for positions at DRC. I will be attending the Hazards Workshop in Colorado in July and would be very happy to discuss our research positions with you in more detail in Boulder, if possible.
Thanks for your help,
Kathleen
Kathleen Tierney
Disaster Research Center
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716
Tel: (302) 831-6618
Fax: (302) 831-2091
E-mail: tierney@UDel.Edu
With thanks,
Elaine Enarson
Elaine Enarson, Ph.D.
Independent Sociologist
33174 Bergen Mountain Road
Evergreen, CO 80439
USA
Tel: (303) 670-1834
Fax: (303) 679-0938
E-mail: enarson@uswest.net
During the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR, 1990-1999), the International Day for Disaster Reduction significantly contributed to raising awareness of disaster reduction in countries and local communities around the world. Considering the success of this annual event, when the IDNDR came to an end and was succeeded by the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), the General Assembly of the U.N. decided to continue observing the day on the second Wednesday of October. Each year, the event is the culmination of a year-long public awareness campaign organized by the secretariat of the ISDR to promote disaster prevention measures among the communities at risk.
The theme for 2000 - Disaster Reduction, Education, and Youth - recognizes the importance of establishing a "culture of prevention" (as opposed to a culture of fatalism) by instilling awareness and knowledge beginning as early as possible in a child's development. The main objectives are to:
In support of this mission, the ISDR Secretariat and several other national and international agencies are hosting the Second Hemispheric Conference on Disaster Reduction in the Education Sector in the Americas in Caracas, Venezuela, October 2-4, 2000.
Additionally, the secretariat is creating a booklet by and for young persons. Young people of the world are invited to send their personal accounts, essays, poems, and illustrations by August 31 to be collected and published in a booklet that will serve as an inspiration for decision makers.
The secretariat also invites interested individuals and educational institutions to send examples of exemplary national or local education programs that are participatory and demonstrably contribute to building a culture of prevention. These will also be published by the secretariat.
As in previous years, the secretariat is holding a worldwide photo contest on the theme of the campaign, with a first prize of US $2,000. Interested individuals and organizations are encouraged to send entries illustrating disaster reduction and its relevance to this year's campaign. The deadline for submissions is also August 31, 2000.
Support material for the 2000 World Disaster Reduction Campaign is being prepared by the ISDR Secretariat, including:
For more information about the 2000 ISDR campaign, as well as suggestions for local activities and events, contact the Awareness and Promotion Issues Officer, Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), Palais des Nations, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel: (41 22) 917 90 00; fax: (41 22) 917 90 98/99; e-mail: isdr@un.org; WWW: http://www.unisdr.org.
Interested persons can also contact Helena Molin Valdes, ISDR Unit for Latin America and the Caribbean; e-mail: hmolin@undpcos.nu.or.cr; also see the Web site of the Regional Disaster Information Center, CRID: http://www.crid.or.cr.
The agreement calls for the secondment of a WMO staff member, who will add an important dimension to the collaboration, especially at the operational level, through the development of new joint projects. In particular, the agreement will strengthen cooperation in the areas of prevention and mitigation of weather and climate-related natural disasters; assessment of the vulnerability of and adaptation to climate change; provision of weather and climate information for various economic and social sectors; and the assessment and management of water resources.
For more information, please contact:
Mr. Taysir M. Al-Ghanem
Information and Public Affairs Office
World Meteorological Organization
7 bis, avenue de la Paix
CH 1211 Geneva 2
Switzerland
Tel: +(41 22) 730 8315
Fax: +(41 22) 733 2829/730 8027
E-mail: ipa@gateway.wmo.ch
WWW: http://www.wmo.ch
http://www.nationalacademies.org/opus/elnino
The U.S. National Academy of Sciences Office on Public
Understanding has published a booklet entitled El Nino and La Nina:
Tracing the Dance of Ocean and Atmosphere that surveys basic
scientific studies of the last century that have led to our current
understanding of El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. The paper
shows how the relatively recent synthesis of atmospheric and
oceanographic studies has led to even better understanding and a
consequent ability to provide timely warnings that enable preparedness
and mitigation. The publication can be viewed on-line at the above
address or downloaded and printed. The booklet is also available free
from the National Academy of Sciences, Office on Public Understanding
of Science, 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20418;
(202) 334-1575; e-mail: opus@nas.edu.
http://www.usbr.gov/dsis/research/documents/dso-99-06.pdf
In September 1999, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Reclamation, Dam Safety Office, published A Procedure for Estimating
Loss of Life Caused by Dam Failure, by Wayne J. Graham, which can be
downloaded from the address above. The report first recounts some
historical dam failures, then provides observations on dam failure,
and then provides a step-by-step procedure for estimating potential
loss of life.
http://www.pwsrcac.org
In the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the Prince
William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council (PWSRCAC) sponsored
research to learn how to mitigate the psychological and sociological
impacts of a major oil spill or other technological disaster. The
mitigation strategies are contained in the guidebook Coping With
Technological Disasters. This guidebook was developed because of the
need for a human impacts "contingency plan," and it provides a
framework for communities to deal with the mental health issues of a
catastrophic oil spill or other technological calamity. The guidebook
and its appendices can be accessed at the address above, or the two-
volume set can be purchased for $40.00 from the Prince William Sound
Regional Citizens' Advisory Council, 3709 Spenard Road, Anchorage, AK
99503; (907) 277-7222; fax: (907) 277-4523; e-mail:
kaaihue@anch.pwsrcac.org; WWW: http://www.pwsrcac.org.
http://www.tallytown.com/redcross
http://www.tallytown.com/redcross/educate.html
The [Florida] Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross
provides a wealth of disaster preparedness and mitigation information
via its Web site. At the second URL above are over 20 brochures -
available on-line or in downloadable Microsoft Word or PDF format -
covering a multiplicity of topics from preparedness for persons with
mobility problems, to hurricane preparedness, flood recovery, and the
management of pets in disasters.
http://www.doi.gov/secretary/reviewteamfinal.htm
The Secretary of the Interior has released the final report from
an independent team that reviewed the events surrounding the wildfire
that struck Los Alamos, New Mexico, and the surrounding area in May.
The report contains numerous recommendations for better management of
controlled burns and for improved fire management generally.
http://www.ContinuityPlanner.com
ContinuityPlanner.com is a free service hosted by the Disaster
Recovery Information Exchange in Canada. Open to all individuals
interested in business continuity planning, the site is nonprofit,
supported by corporate sponsorship. It includes a job bank; sample
business continuity plans, templates, and guides; back issues of the
Disaster Recovery E-zine; members' Web pages; information on
scheduled training and professional certification; links to other
sources of current information; on-line bulletin boards and meeting
rooms; and more.
risk-com-request@umich.edu
A new e-mail discussion group has been formed by members of the
Risk Communication Specialty Group of the Society for Risk Analysis.
Risk-com is an unmoderated public discussion forum, designed to
promote communication among those interested in this growing field. To
subscribe, send an e-mail message to the address above with the word
"SUBSCRIBE" as the subject of the message.
Printed copies of The Marginalization of Disaster Response Institutions (SP36, 44 pp.) remain available and can be purchased for $10.00, plus shipping ($5.00 for the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; $8.00 for international mail beyond North America). Orders should be directed to the Publications Clerk, Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center, Campus Box 482, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0482; (303) 492-6819; fax: (303) 492-2151; e-mail: janet.kroeckel@colorado.edu. Checks should be made payable to the University of Colorado.
The fellowship provides a stipend of $30,000, beginning January 2001, to cover tuition, fees, and relocation and living expenses for six months. Applicants must provide a work plan for a research project to be carried out during those six months, and the fellow is expected to produce a written report. All applications must be accompanied by a professional resume and letter of nomination from the faculty host(s) at the cooperating education institutions(s). Faculty members should also indicate the institution's ability to provide research facilities and other support. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Candidates can obtain an application form from EERI, 499 14th Street, Suite 320, Oakland, CA 94612-1934; (510) 451-0905; fax: (510) 451-5411; e-mail: eeri@eeri.org; WWW: http://www.eeri.org. Deadline for applications is September 4, 2000.
For further information, contact Environmental Management/Continuing Education in Engineering, University Extension, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720; (510) 643-7143; fax (510) 643-8290; e-mail: env@unx.berkeley.edu; WWW: http://www.unex.berkeley.edu.
Natural Hazards and the No-Risk Society. A one-day discussion meeting. Sponsor: Benfield Grieg Hazard Research. University College London: July 7, 2000. For more information and on-line registration visit: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/geolsci/events/HAZARDS/; or contact: Peter Sammonds, Rock and Ice Physics Laboratory, Department of Geological Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K; tel: +44 (0)20-7679 2422; fax: +44 (0)20-7679 2422; e-mail: p.sammonds@ucl.ac.uk.
Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) 2000 Risk Management Seminar Series: Seminars on Crisis Management.
12th International Disaster Recovery Symposium and Exhibition. Sponsors: Disaster Recovery Journal and others. Orlando, Florida: September 10-13, 2000. Contact: Disaster Recovery Journal, P.O. Box 510110, St. Louis, MO 63151; (314) 434-2272; fax: (314) 434-1260; WWW: http://www.dr.org.
National Earthquake Risk Management Conference. Organizer: Western States Seismic Policy Council (WSSPC). Seattle, Washington: September 17-22, 2000. See: http://www.wsspc.org/currenteq/events/nec2000.htm; or contact: Patricia L. Sutch, WSSPC, 121 Second Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105; (415) 974-6435; fax: (415) 974-1747; e-mail: psutch@wsspc.org; WWW: http://www.wsspc.org.
Disaster Management Workshops. Offered by: Department of Engineering Professional Development, College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Madison, Wisconsin: September 18-22, 2000. Contact: Katie Peterson, Department of Engineering Professional Development, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 432 North Lake Street, Madison, WI 53706; 1-800-462-0876; fax: (608) 263-3160; e-mail: custserv@epd.engr.wisc.edu; WWW: http://epd.engr.wisc.edu.
72nd Annual Meeting of the Eastern Section, Seismological Society of America. Atlanta, Georgia: September 24-26, 2000. Papers on all aspects of earthquakes are currently being solicited; the deadline for papers is August 31. Contact: Leland Timothy Long, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, 221 Bobby Dodd Way, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0340; (404) 894-2860; fax: (404) 894- 5638; e-mail: tim.long@eas.gatech.edu; WWW: http://www.seismosoc.org.
2000 Nonprofit Risk Management Institutes. Sponsor: Nonprofit Risk Management Center. Washington, D.C.: October 22-24, 2000. See: http://www.nonprofitrisk.org; or contact: Nonprofit Risk Management Center, 1001 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 410, Washington, DC 20036-5504; (202) 785-3891; fax: (202) 296-0349; e-mail: info@nonprofitrisk.org.
Euro-Mediterranean Forum on Forest Fires. Sponsors: U.N. International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) and others. Hyeres les Palmiers, France: October 24-27, 2000. Contact: ISDR Secretariat, Palais des Nations, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel: (41 22) 917 90 00; fax: (41 22) 917 90 98/99; e-mail: isdr@un.org; WWW: http://www.unisdr.org.
Australian Earthquake Engineering Society Annual Conference. Hobart, Tasmania, Australia: November 15-16, 2000. Contact: Barbara Butler, P.O. Box 829, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; tel: +03 8344-6712; fax: +03 8344-4616; e-mail: b.butler@civag.unimelb.edu.au; WWW: http://www.aees.org.au/News/2000_AGM.html.
2001 Technology Partnerships for Emergency Management Workshop and Exhibition. Sponsors: Federal Emergency Management Agency and others. San Diego, California: May 21-24, 2001. Contact: Dr. Brenda-Lee Karasik, (619) 553-2101, e-mail: brenda@spawar.navy.mil; Mr. Dale Gurley, (619) 553-5630, e-mail: gurley@spawar.navy.mil; WWW: http://www.foundation.sdsu.edu/technologysolutions.
Coastal Zone '01. Sponsors: NOAA Coastal Services Center and others. Cleveland, Ohio: July 17-19, 2001. Abstracts due September 8, 2000. Contact: NOAA Coastal Services Center, 2234 South Hobson Avenue, Charleston, SC 29405-2413; e-mail: csc@csc.noaa.gov; WWW: http://www.csc.noaa.gov/cz2001.
Fifth European Sociological Association Conference. Helsinki, Finland: August 28-September 1, 2001. This meeting will incorporate several proposed sessions of the "Disaster and Social Crisis Research Network," including:
Twelfth European Conference on Earthquake Engineering. London, U.K.: September 9-13, 2002. Organizers: European Association for Earthquake Engineering, Society for Earthquake and Civil Engineering Dynamics. A call for abstracts will be issued in September 2000. In the meantime, interested persons can register their interest and receive further details by contacting: Deborah Letley, Institution of Civil Engineers, 1-7 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA, U.K.; tel: 020 7665 2312; fax: 020 7233 1743; e-mail: deborah.letley@ice.org.uk.
Return to Index of Disaster Research Newsletters
Return to Hazards Center Home Page
hazctr@colorado.edu