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The Association Liaison Office for University Cooperation in Development (ALO) has announced a special request for applications titled "Bangladesh: Partnership to Reduce Vulnerability to Seismic Hazards."
In cooperation with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)/Bangladesh, ALO is issuing this call to foster the creation of a cooperative higher education partnership between a U.S. university, college, community college, or consortium, and the National Center for Earthquake Engineering (NCEE), housed at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), to collaborate on disaster preparedness and mitigation. The U.S. partner will assist with the provision of direct technical and material support to strengthen BUET/NCEE's capacity to reduce Bangladesh's vulnerability to seismic hazards. One partnership grant will be awarded of up to $200,000.
Applications are due by August 21, 2003. For more information about this request or ALO, contact Tony Wagner, ALO, 1307 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20005-4701; (202) 478-4704; e-mail: wagnera@aascu.org; http://www.aascu.org/ALO/RFPs/RFPMain.htm.
The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) is accepting proposals for local educational agencies to improve and strengthen emergency response and crisis management plans, including training school personnel, students, and parents in emergency response procedures, and coordinating with local law enforcement, public safety, health and mental health agencies. It is estimated that 150 awards will be awarded for a period of up to 18 months.
Applications are due June 30, 2003. Complete details, including eligibility and other requirements, are available from Connie Ann Deshpande or Jennifer Medearis, DOE, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3E332, Washington, DC 20202; (202) 401-2140; e-mail: connie.deshpande@ed.gov; jennifer.medearis@ed.gov; http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/index.html (listed under May 16, 2003).
The Applied Technology Council (ATC) and Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering (MCEER) are co-sponsoring the "ATC-29-2 Seminar on Seismic Design, Performance, and Retrofit of Nonstructural Components in Critical Facilities" to be held on October 23-24, 2003, in Irvine, California (location not yet determined). Funded by the National Science Foundation, the seminar will present current research, practice, and informed thinking pertinent to seismic design, performance, and retrofit of nonstructural components and distribution systems in buildings, with a special focus on critical facilities. Themes include: current practice and emerging code provisions, observed seismic performance and databases, performance evaluation analysis, shake table testing, new developments in performance-based engineering, multi-hazard mitigation issues, and more.
The seminar steering committee is seeking papers on relevant topics. One-page, typewritten abstracts (less than 250 words) must be submitted before July 18, 2003, to: Bernadette Mosby, ATC-29-2 Project, Applied Technology Council, 201 Redwood Shores Parkway, Suite 240, Redwood City, CA 94065; (650) 595-1542; fax: (650) 593-2320; e-mail: atc@atcouncil.org; http://www.atcouncil.org.
Here at the Hazards Center we are proud to announce that nominations are currently being accepted for the 2003 Mary Fran Myers Award. The award is administered by the Gender and Disaster Network, an educational project initiated by women and men interested in gender relations in disaster contexts. The Network invites nominations of individuals who should be recognized for "efforts to advance women's careers in emergency management and the academy and for promoting gendered disaster research."
The Mary Fran Myers Award was so-named in order to recognize Mary Fran's sustained efforts to launch a worldwide network among disaster professionals and promote research on gender issues in disaster research in emergency management and higher education. The award was established in 2002 in recognition of the fact that vulnerability to disasters and mass emergencies is influenced by social, cultural, and economic structures that marginalize women and girls.
Nomination materials, including a description of how the nominee fits the award criteria, a resume of the nominee which reflects their commitment over time to gendered research and the promotion of women's involvement in the field, and no more than two letters of support, must be received by June 20, 2003. Complete information is available from Brenda D. Phillips, Institute for Emergency Preparedness, Jacksonville State University, 700 Pelham Road North Jacksonville AL 36265; (256) 782-8053; e-mail: Brenda@jsucc.jsu.edu; http://online.northumbria.ac.uk/geography_research/gdn/maryfranmyersaward.html. Information about the Gender and Disaster Network is available at http://online.northumbria.ac.uk/geography_research/gdn/index.html.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is accepting proposals for research that evaluates the impact of law on public health with the goal of stimulating research examining the implementation and impact of law on the prevention and control of death, disease, injury, and disability on health services. Special emphasis will be given to research that will result in scientifically valid findings to improve law's contribution to public health preparedness for terrorism, outbreaks of infectious diseases, and other major public health threats and emergencies.
Applications are due July 9, 2003. Complete details, including eligibility and other requirements, are available from Merlin J. Williams, CDC 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341; (770) 488-2405; e-mail: Mwilliams2@cdc.gov; http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/03049.htm.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Foundation is offering scholarships, ranging from $350-$4,000, to people who are participating in college-level courses in the fire sciences or related areas. Eligibility information, along with program details, and an application form may be found at http://www.iafcf.org/html/scholhome.html#eligible.
Toward Improved Understanding of Warnings for Short-Fuse Weather Events. Funding: National Science Foundation, $422,951, 36 months. Principal Investigators: Eve Gruntfest and Charles Benight, Department of Geography, CoH 2021, University of Colorado–Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO 80933; e-mail: ecg@uccs.edu.
Input-Output Risk Model of Critical Infrastructure Systems. Funding: National Science Foundation, $467,750, 36 months. Principal Investigators: Yacov Y. Haimes, Wei Li, James H. Lambert, and Barry M. Horowitz, Olson Hall, Room 112a, Engineering Systems/Information Engineering Department, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904; e-mail: yyh4f@virginia.edu.
An Integrated Study of Post-Flood Hydrology, Ecology, Politics, and Policy Change: A Cross-National, Urban Perspective. Funding: National Science Foundation, $29,970, 12 months. Principal Investigators: Binayak P. Mohanty and Eric Lindquist, 301 C Scoates Hall, Wisenbaker Engineering Research Center, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843.
Experiences of Communities Employing a "No Adverse Impact" Approach to Floodplain Management. Funding: Public Entity Risk Institute, 12 months. Principal Investigator: Association of State Floodplain Managers, 4233 West Beltline Highway, Madison, WI 53711; (608) 274-0123; fax: (608) 274-0696; e-mail: asfpm@execpc.com.
A Design/Test Environment with Integrated Experimental and Computational Simulation of Unsteady Wind Loads for Mitigation of Wind-Related Natural Hazards. Funding: National Science Foundation, $490,956, 60 months. Principal Investigator: Frederick L. Haan, Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, 2271 Hoew Hall, #1200, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-2271; e-mail: haan@iastate.edu.
A study is underway to evaluate the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) minimum building standards for design and construction of buildings in flood hazard areas. This study is part of a larger NFIP evaluation that is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and directed by the American Institutes for Research. A short questionnaire for those interested in providing input on this topic has been posted at http://www.coastalhazard.com/pages/811368/index.htm.
Responses must be received by June 15, 2003. For more information, contact Christopher Jones, 5525 Jomali Drive, Durham, NC 27705; (919) 382-0130; e-mail: hazards@chris-jones.mailshell.com.
This message is both an announcement and a request. The Tyndall Center for Climate Change Research in the UK has funded a research project entitled "Health and Flood Risk: A Strategic assessment of Adaptation Processes and Policies."
The project entails a review of existing knowledge on health (and health system) impacts of flooding around the world and society's adaptive responses to these impacts, ranging from grassroots-level coping mechanisms to health sector policies. The project will synthesize and assess adaptation to the health risks of flooding and develop a priority agenda for future research. The project will culminate in an international workshop in the UK in mid-2004.
One of the key aspects of the review is a survey of non-academic as well as academic literature, with a particular focus on studies and reports by agencies and non-governmental organizations that refer to flooding, health, and adaptation policies. Project researchers suspect that many of these reports and studies have not been published in formal academic journals.
Do any members of this list have document/reference suggestions that might be of help? If you do, or if you would like to note your interest in the project, please contact me.
Many thanks in advance,
Roger Few
Overseas Development Group
University of East Anglia
Norwich NR4 7TJ UK
Tel: 44 1603 593678
e-mail: r.few@uea.ac.uk
[Below are a few recent job vacancies that are related to some of the myriad activities in which DR readers engage. Please contact the organizations directly for more information.]
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Emergency Management Grants and Planning Specialist
The Putnam County, Florida, Emergency Services Division is looking to hire a grants and planning specialist to help develop and implement emergency management plans and programs in compliance with Florida statutes and local policies. Five years experience in public safety/emergency management/disaster preparedness planning is required, and the applicant must be willing to be on call during emergency situations. The complete job description is available at the Putnam County Human Resources Department, 514 St. Johns Avenue, (Building 1C) Palatka, FL 32177; fax:(386) 329-1257; e-mail: lwilloughby@putnam-fl.com.
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Disaster Planning Coordinator
The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association seeks a Hospital Disaster Planning Coordinator to work with member facilities in Central Virginia. Responsibilities include meeting with hospitals to assess disaster planning progress, facilitating the acquisition of equipment and supplies, obtaining grants for hospital disaster preparedness, and planning disaster drills.
Requirements include previous experience in public administration, business administration, public health, or military procurement as well as the ability to speak, write and communicate effectively. Experience working with the medical community is preferred.
For more information contact Karen Bobrovsky, CJW Medical Center, Office of Human Resources,7101 Jahnke Road, Richmond VA 23225; e-mail: Karen.Bobrovsky@HCAHealthcare.com.
[Below are some new or updated Internet resources we've discovered. For an extensive list of useful Internet sites dealing with hazards, see http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/sites/sites.html]
http://www.hhs.gov/disasters/index.shtml
The Department of Health and Human Services Disasters and Emergencies web site provides categorized information relating to terrorism and other disasters.
http://showcase.netins.net/web/trhalvorson/g-stuff/gs_elnino.shtml
This comprehensive web site includes a large variety of links to other web sites and information about El Nino and La Nina.
http://www.flash.org
The Federal Alliance For Safe Homes-FLASH, Inc. announces a new and improved web site that offers disaster safety tips, property protection information, and resource links for flood, hail, hurricane, lightning, severe wind, tornadoes, wind, and wildfire protection.
http://ingrid.ldeo.columbia.edu
This web site from the International Research Institute for Climate Protection at Columbia University includes a broad collection of earth science data on atmospheric and oceanic conditions.
http://www.uawlocal1999.org/Tornado/default.asp
Tornado pictures from the May 2003 Oklahoma tornados, sponsored by UAW Local 1999.
http://www.meted.ucar.edu/topics_emt.php
The COMET Program (mentioned many times previously in Hazard Center publications) has remodeled its education and training web site, "MetEd." The new site also contains free self-paced distance learning materials for emergency managers and community decision makers.
[Below are some recent announcements received by the Natural Hazards Center. A comprehensive list of upcoming hazards-related meetings and training is available from our World Wide Web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/conf.html]
2003 CSL/JIFSAN Joint Symposium on Food Safety and Nutrition: Risk Analysis. Sponsors: Central Science Laboratory (CSL), and the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN). Adelphi, Maryland: June 11-13, 2003. With increasing emphasis on risk analysis in regulatory decision making, the focus of this symposium is on the three component areas of risk analysis (risk assessment, risk communication, and risk management). Specific food-related examples will show how risk assessment and risk communication can be used as decision support tools for managing food borne risks. More information is available from Conference and Visitor Services, University of Maryland, 0101 Annapolis Hall, College Park, MD 20742; (301) 314-7884; e-mail: meeting@accmail.umd.edu; http://www.jifsan.umd.edu/CSL_JIFSAN/index.html.
**RESCHEDULED** Central United States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC)Annual Meeting. Nashville, Tennessee: June 30-July 1, 2003. The theme of this year's meeting is "communicating the earthquake risk: two decades of collaboration." Meeting details are available from CUSEC, 2630 E. Holmes Road, Memphis, TN 38118; (901) 544-3570; http://www.cusec.org/home/news_announce/2003_annual_meet/.
Tenth U.S.-Japan Workshop on Improvement of Structural Design and Construction Practices. Sponsor: Applied Technology Council (ATC) and Japan Structural Consultants (JSCA). Maui, Hawaii: June 30-July 3, 2003. The workshop includes technical presentations by structural engineering design practitioners and researchers along with working group discussions. The special focus of the workshop will be on seismic design and blast effects mitigation. Registration information is available from Bernadette Mosby, ATC, 555 Twin Dolphin Drive, Suite 550, Redwood City, CA 94065; (650) 595-1542; e-mail: atc@council.org; http://www.atcouncil.org/rel041003.shtml.
Fire Risk and Hazard Assessment Research Application Symposium. Sponsor: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Baltimore, Maryland: July 9-11, 2003. This symposium focuses on understanding the risk, hazard, toxicity and environmental impacts of fire, how to measure its effects, and how public policy should reflect its risks. Registration information and complete details are available from Eric Peterson, NFPA, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269-9101; (617) 984-7281; e-mail: epeterson@nfpa.org; http://www.nfpa.org/Research/Foundation/Symposium/symposium.asp.
The Sixth U.S. Conference and Workshop in Lifeline Earthquake Engineering. Sponsor: Technical Council on Lifeline Earthquake Engineering (TCLEE). Long Beach, California: August 10-13, 2003. This year's theme is "advancing mitigation technologies and disaster response," and the conference will focus on these issues in the context of lifeline systems. Participants from around the globe will discuss new knowledge, trends, and developments in lifeline engineering. For more information contact the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 1801 Alexander Bell Drive Reston, Virginia 20191-4400; (800) 548-2723; http://www.asce.org/conferences/TCLEE2003.
International Workshop on Natural and Technological Hazards in the Danube-Black Sea Region. Sponsor: Romanian Academy and U.S. National Research Council. Bucharest, Romania: September 19-23, 2003. This conference is focused on the interdisciplinary hazards issues emerging in the Black Sea basin and on developing a dialog among the practitioners and policymakers involved in natural and technological hazards management. Topics include seismic hazards and their mitigation, landslides, climate change, and technological hazards. Complete information is available from the Romanian Academy, Institute of Geography, 12 Dimitrie Racovita Str., Sector 2, RO-70307, Bucharest, Romania; tel: 40 21 313-5990; e-mail: geoinst@rnc.ro.
Fall World 2003. Sponsor: Disaster Recovery Journal (DRJ). San Diego, California: September 21-24, 2003. This conference is geared toward business continuity planners and other emergency mangers. Conference details are available from DRJ, P.O. Box 510110, St. Louis, MO 63151; (314) 894-7474; e-mail: mercedes@drj.com; http://www.drj.com.
8th World Seminar on Seismic Isolation, Energy Dissipation, and Active Vibration Control of Structures. Sponsors: Anti-Seismic Systems International Society, and the Armenian Association for Earthquake Engineering. Yerevan, Armenia: October 6-10, 2003. This seminar seeks to strengthen international collaboration on research and technology transfer, address practical issues involved with structural control system implementation, and provide general educational outreach. Complete information may be obtained from Kristina Avanesova, American University of Armenia, 40 Marshall Bagraimain Street, 375019, Yerevan, Armenia; tel: 374 1 51-28-40; e-mail: kavaneso@aua.am; http://www.aua.am/aua/masters/ce/8thworldseminar/sem.html.
Stay the Course. Sponsor: US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region III. Norfolk, Virginia: November 16-19, 2003. This conference will have training, workshops, and networking opportunities to assist practitioners with emergency preparedness and safety issues. Information is available from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, 10501 Trade Court, Richmond, VA 23236;(804) 897-6500; http://www.2003conference.org.
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