DISASTER RESEARCH 421
February 4, 2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Call for Nominations: Mary Fran Myers Award
- FEMA Releases Updated Are You Ready?
- DHS Scholarship/Fellowship
- NFPA 1600 Workshops
- Funding: Cooperating Technical Partners Program
- PhD Opportunities in Natural Hazards Research
- NFPA National Wildland Fire Management Awards
- Funding: EPA Call for Proposals on Global Change and Human Health
- Reader Request: Invitation to EMP Survey and Student Survey
- Reader Request: Local EOC Layouts and Floor Designs
- Some New Web Resources
- Conferences and Training
1) Call for Nominations: Mary Fran Myers Award
The Gender and Disaster Network and the Natural Hazards Center invite nominations of individuals working in the hazards field who should be recognized for “efforts to advance women’s careers in emergency management and the academy, and for promoting gendered disaster research.” Established in 2002, the Mary Fran Myers Award recognizes that vulnerability to disasters and mass emergencies is influenced by social, cultural, and economic structures that marginalize women and girls. The award was so named to recognize Mary Fran’s sustained efforts to launch a worldwide network among disaster professionals for advancing women’s careers and for promoting research on gender issues, disasters, emergency management, and higher education.
The intent of this award is to recognize people whose program-related activities, advocacy efforts, or research has had a lasting, positive impact on reducing hazards vulnerability for women and girls. The award committee is especially interested in soliciting nominations from countries outside the United States. People whose work adds to the body of knowledge on gender and disasters, is significant for the theory and/or practice of gender and disasters, or has furthered opportunities for women to succeed in the hazards fields are eligible to receive the award.
Nominations are due June 1, 2005.
To nominate someone:
- Submit the full name and contact information (e-mail, mailing address, telephone, and fax) of both nominee and nominator.
- Provide a maximum 500-word description of specific examples of how the nominee’s work fits the award criteria mentioned above.
- Provide a resume/CV of the nominee that reflects his/her commitment over time to gendered research and the promotion of women’s involvement in the field.
- Provide a personal statement from the nominee indicating willingness to be considered.
- Provide no more than one letter of support, not to exceed one page, from another person or organization that supports the nomination.
Submit these materials (e-mail attachment preferred) no later than June 1, 2005, to Betty Hearn Morrow, 8215 SW 140 Avenue, Miami, FL 33183 USA; e-mail: morrowb@fiu.edu. Direct questions to Betty Hearn Morrow at morrowb@fiu.edu or (303) 385-5953.
Find out more about the Gender and Disaster Network at http://online.northumbria.ac.uk/geography_research/gdn/.
2) FEMA Releases Updated Are You Ready?
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced the release of the updated, in-depth guide to citizen preparedness, Are You Ready? The guide provides a step-by-step approach to disaster preparedness by walking the reader through how to get informed about local emergency plans, how to identify hazards that affect their area, and instructing them on how to develop and maintain an emergency communications plan and building a disaster supplies kit. Other guide topics include evacuation, emergency public shelters, animals in disaster, and information specific to people with disabilities.
To broaden the usage of the Are You Ready? materials, a facilitator guide is available for those interested in delivering the disaster preparedness content in a classroom or small group setting. The facilitator guide includes training modules for adults and older and younger children and contains a CD-ROM toolkit that includes customizable slides and hazard specific fact sheets. The Are You Ready? guide can also be used as a study manual guide with credit awarded for successful completion and a score of 75 percent or above on a final exam. College credit for the course is also being offered through Frederick Community College in Frederick, Maryland.
The updated guide is available from the FEMA Web site in both English and Spanish. Download a copy at http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/. English-only copies are also available by mail from FEMA’s Publications Warehouse at (800) 480-2520.
3) DHS Scholarship and Fellowship Program
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) realizes that the country’s strong science and technology community provides a critical advantage in the development and implementation of counter-terrorist measures and other DHS objectives. The DHS Scholarship and Fellowship Program, which is supported by the Science and Technology Directorate, Office of Research and Development, University Programs, is intended for students interested in pursuing the basic science and technology innovations that can be applied to the DHS mission. This education program is intended to ensure a diverse and highly talented science and technology community to achieve the DHS mission and objectives. Areas of study that are eligible include physical, mathematical, computer and information, life, and social sciences, psychology, selected humanities, and engineering.
Applications are due February 23, 2005. To find out more and apply online, visit http://www.orau.gov/dhsed/. E-mail questions to dhsed@orau.gov.
4) NFPA 1600 Workshops
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is offering a series of two-day workshops on its Disaster/Emergency Management and Continuity Programs standard (NFPA 1600) throughout the United States to help employers in the private and public sectors prepare disaster plans. Sponsored in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Public Sector Office and New York University’s International Center for Enterprise Preparedness, the workshops are designed for developing new emergency management and business continuity programs and assessing and enhancing existing ones for potential hazards like hurricanes, tornadoes, utility or technology emergencies, workplace violence, and terrorism. Sessions address evacuation, adequate communications capabilities, and continuity of operations should a disaster occur.
For more information, including a list of dates and locations and a link to register online, visit http://www.nfpa.org/ and click on “Learning/Professional Development/NFPA Seminars” or call the NFPA at (800) 344-3555.
5) Funding: Cooperating Technical Partners Program
One of the key objectives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Map Modernization Plan is to increase local involvement in, and ownership of, the flood mapping process. To meet this objective, FEMA created the Cooperating Technical Partner (CTP) program to create partnerships between FEMA and state, local, and regional agencies that are interested in and capable of playing active roles in FEMA’s Flood Hazard Mapping program.
A grants notice was published in January that estimated total program funding at $50 million. The application deadline is April 29, 2005. Read the notice at http://www.fedgrants.gov/Applicants/DHS/DHSWIDE/DHSLOC/97%26%23046%3B045/Grant.html. For more information, contact Daphne Thornton at (202) 646-4019 or daphne.thornton@dhs.gov.
6) PhD Opportunities in Natural Hazards Research
A new interdisciplinary PhD research program is being established as part of the National Weather Center at the University of Oklahoma (OU) in Norman, Oklahoma. Taking advantage of the facilities and expertise available through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s labs and OU departments, this program provides innovative graduate education and training. It focuses on natural hazards associated with meteorological factors, including tornadoes, hail, lightning, hurricanes, flooding, drought, and wildfire. PhD projects are available spanning the science, technology, and human dimensions of natural hazards research.
The program is supported by OU, with additional funding sought through the National Science Foundation’s Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program. A cohort of three to six new students is being recruited to start in August 2005. Students will take a common group of four interdisciplinary courses on natural hazards research methods and tools, together with additional courses in their core discipline area. They will have the opportunity to take internships with industry or research users, to spend time at one of three international partner centers, and to participate in research conferences. Students will be supported by a stipend of $30,000 pa, with additional allowances. They may choose to pursue a PhD degree in one of the following academic units: meteorology, geography, or civil engineering and environmental science.
Applicants must be outstanding students with an interest in interdisciplinary research and a master’s degree in meteorology, hydrology, geography, environmental studies, civil engineering, economics, or a related field. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Applications should include a CV, academic transcript, three letters from referees, and a statement (600 words or less) explaining the applicant’s interest in interdisciplinary natural hazards research in the context of the cube illustrated on the Web announcement at http://www.ucgis.org/docs/phd-opp-jan262005.htm.
Applications are due by February 15, 2005. Later applications may be considered. Applications and questions should be directed to David Karoly, School of Meteorology, University of Oklahoma, 100 East Boyd Street, Norman, OK 73019; (405) 325-6446; fax: (405) 325-7689; e-mail: dkaroly@ou.edu.
7) NFPA National Wildland Fire Management Awards
The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Wildland Fire Management Section has established an awards program to recognize outstanding work by local, state, or federal agency personnel; individuals associated with wildland fire management or public education; or others whose efforts have met the criteria for the specific award.
The National Wildland Fire Management Awards will honor winners in the following six categories: wildland fire public education, fire prevention, risk mitigation, fire planning, fire management, and firefighter safety.
All nominations must be submitted to James Smalley, NFPA Wildland Fire Management Section, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169; (or via e-mail to jsmalley@nfpa.org) by March 1, 2005. Complete general rules and guidance, along with eligibility and submission of nominations information, can be found by downloading the award announcement at http://www.firewise.org/webumake/firstgroup/newsletter/Wildlandsectionaward.pdf.
8) Funding: EPA Call for Proposals on Global Change and Human Health
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development, National Center for Environmental Research, and National Center for Environmental Assessment, in cooperation with the EPA Global Change Research Program, announce an extramural funding competition supporting assessment of the consequences for human health of global change, including climate, climate variability, land use, economic development, and technology. Under the Global Change Research Act of 1990, the United States Climate Change Science Program is required to undertake scientific assessments of the potential consequences of global change for the United States. The EPA is interested in research leading to the development of decision support systems that can incorporate information about the consequences of global change on human health in order to aid state and local public health agency efforts to ameliorate these impacts.
It is anticipated that a total of approximately $2.7 million will be awarded, depending on the availability of funds. The EPA anticipates funding six grants under this announcement. The projected award per grant is up to $150,000 per year, for up to three years. Requests for amounts in excess of a total of $450,000, including direct and indirect costs, will not be considered. The total project period for an application submitted in response to this announcement may not exceed three years. Funding in subsequent years will be contingent upon satisfactory progress.
The deadline for applications is March 29, 2005. Find out more at http://es.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2005/2005_decision_support_sys.html, or contact Darrell Winner at (202) 343-9748 or winner.darrell@epa.gov.
9) Reader Request: Invitation to EMP Survey and Student Survey
Hello,
My name is Paula Iaeger and I am a graduate student at the University of North Texas. You are invited to participate in a survey that examines attitudes, tasks, and general demographics of emergency management professionals and students planning to enter the field. Each survey will take about 30 minutes to complete.
The term “emergency management professional” for the purpose of this survey is a professional in any field of study involved with helping an area to prepare for, respond to, recover from, prevent, and/or mitigate against disasters, including natural, human-caused, and terrorist events. It includes emergency managers, continuity planners, public health practitioners, policy makers, sociologists, volunteer managers, vulnerability assessors, and scientists who help us plan for future and current risks. I am asking students their opinion about what is being taught and general motivations, collaboration, and attitudes regarding various population centers. This will be compared to people working in the field. I am especially interested in hearing from rural emergency management professionals, but all are welcome to take the survey.
Both surveys are online at http://people.unt.edu/pii0001/survey.html. (The site is partially hosted by the University of North Texas and a direct link to the page is not permitted, so please cut and paste the URL into your Web browser. I apologize for the inconvenience.)
Thank you for your willingness to participate,
Paula Iaeger, EHMsurvey@yahoo.com
10) Reader Request: Local EOC Layouts and Floor Designs
Vince Sakovich, an emergency management planner with Innovative Emergency Management, is looking for examples of effective layouts or floor designs for state and local emergency operations centers (EOC). If you have any information that would be useful to Vince, please contact him at (703) 414-8192 or vince.sakovich@iem.com.
11) Some New Web Resources
[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/resources/.]
http://www.rms.com/Publications/SumatraInsuredLoss_RMSwhitepaper.pdf
This Risk Management Solutions Special Report Estimating Losses from the 2004 Southeast Asia Earthquake and Tsunami sets out the main lines of business that will be affected by the 2004 Asian tsunami, identifies the key drivers of insured losses, and estimates their magnitude.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5403a1.htm
A recent issue of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report features this article, “Rapid Health Response, Assessment, and Surveillance After a Tsunami: Thailand, 2004-2005.”
http://mceer.buffalo.edu/research/tsunami/page1.asp
As part of a multilateral Thai-Japanese reconnaissance team, the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research is investigating the effects of the tsunami disaster in Thailand. Their report, Preliminary Field Report: Post-Tsunami Urban Damage Survey in Thailand, Using the VIEWS Reconnaissance System, is available here.
http://www.adpc.net/infores/dsituation/webtsunami/documents/LLinpics.pdf
This 30-page report from the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Lessons Learned from the Tsunami Event, December 26, 2004, Case of Sri Lanka, uses photographs as well as text to illustrate lessons learned.
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/reports/billionz.html
The National Climatic Data Center has updated its Web page that lists billion dollar weather and climate disasters in the United States from 1980 to the present. The update includes revised figures for 2003 events and new data for 2004 events.
http://www.fema.gov/nims/nims_training.shtm
This new National Incident Management System (NIMS) Training information Web page has been created to serve as a NIMS-related training resource during the development of a national standard curriculum.
http://www.asc-india.org/
The Amateur Seismic Centre (ASC) is an independent Web site that was created to provide users in India and overseas with information about earthquakes on the subcontinent.
http://www.hewsweb.org/
The United Nation’s World Food Programme has set-up this new Web site to monitor natural hazards around the world and help the international community anticipate humanitarian crises. HEWSweb (Humanitarian Early Warning Service) is updated daily with forecasts from a range of specialized institutions on droughts, floods, tropical storms, earthquakes, and rarer events such as El Niño. It represents an interagency partnership project aimed at establishing a common platform for humanitarian early warnings and forecasts for natural hazards and sociopolitical developments worldwide.
http://www.wssi.org/
The World Seismic Safety Initiative (WSSI) is an undertaking of the International Association for Earthquake Engineering. WSSI is a nonprofit, nongovernmental venture designed to promote the spirit and goals of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction and to act as a catalyst in helping nations improve their earthquake risk management strategies.
http://www.eeri.org/lfe/clearinghouse/
The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute offers this online Virtual Clearinghouse to facilitate information dissemination after major earthquakes. The clearinghouse is meant to be a centralized location for researchers of all disciplines to exchange event-particular data. It is a place to store data obtained directly after an earthquake as well as longer-term projects, such as presentations and papers on lessons learned.
http://www.homeownershipalliance.com/documents/emergency_final.pdf
The result of a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Homeownership Alliance, this new Emergency Preparedness Guide outlines the steps homeowners can take to prepare for an emergency. It includes information on emergency supplies, effective family emergency plans, threats that homeowners may face, and resources available to homeowners through DHS, the Homeownership Alliance, and local government and community officials.
http://www.tallytown.com/redcross/educate.html
The Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross in Tallahassee, Florida, has prepared this comprehensive library of disaster education, preparedness, planning and mitigation articles, brochures, fact sheets, checklists, and publications from a wide variety of sources to support disaster preparedness and planning activities in the home, neighborhood, workplace, school, and community.
http://unfccc.int/meetings/cop_10/items/2944.php
The Tenth Session of the Conference of Parties (COP 10) was held in December in Buenos Aires, Argentina, marking the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Discussions highlighted a range of climate-related issues, including the impacts of climate change and adaptation measures, mitigation policies and their impacts, and technology. The decisions adopted by COP 10 are available on this Web site.
http://www.rms.com/Publications/KobeRetro.pdf
http://www.rms.com/Publications/CycloneTracy30YrRetro.pdf
Risk Management Solutions has released two new retrospective reports: 1995 Kobe Earthquake 10-Year Retrospective (Kobe, Japan) and Cyclone Tracy 30-Year Retrospective (Darwin, Australia).
http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/wcdr/unep-tokage-report.pdf
The United Nations Environment Programme recently released this report, Environmental Management and Disaster Preparedness: Lessons Learnt from the Tokage Typhoon (Typhoon 23 of 2004) in Japan.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/pdf/wtc/wtc-report2004-1112.pdf
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene released its fifth quarterly report on data collected as part of the World Trade Center Health Registry. Earlier reports are available at http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/pub/pub.html?t=wtc.
12) Conferences and Training
[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 Web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/conf.html.]
Disaster Preparedness Summit. Hosts: Community College National Center for Community Engagement, League for Innovation in the Community College. New York, New York: March 6, 2005. This summit is being held in conjunction with Innovations 2005 (a conference for community college professionals) to help community colleges create and improve disaster preparedness training and education programs that emphasize community engagement. The summit offers research and theories, strategies, and tips and techniques for connecting disaster preparedness academic curriculum to civic engagement. For more information, contact Judy Greenfield, League for Innovation in the Community College, 4505 East Chandler Boulevard, Suite 250, Phoenix, AZ 85048; (480) 705-8200; e-mail: greenfield@league.org; http://www.league.org/i2005/dps/.
59th Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference (IHC). Host: Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM). Jacksonville, Florida: March 7-11, 2005. The theme of this year’s IHC is “The Nation’s Tropical Cyclone Program: Priorities for the Next Decade.” The IHC provides a forum for federal agencies and user communities, such as emergency management, to review the nation’s hurricane forecast and warning program and to make recommendations on how to improve the program in the future. The major objective is to plan and prepare for the upcoming hurricane season. New procedures, procedural changes, and agreements, which are approved at the conference and are directly related to the provision of tropical cyclone forecast and warning services, are then documented for implementation in the annual “National Hurricane Operations Plan.” Abstracts are due February 9, 2005. For more information, contact Erin McNamara, OFCM, 8455 Colesville Road, Suite 1500, Silver Spring, MD 20910; (301) 427-2002; e-mail: erin.mcnamara@noaa.gov; http://www.ofcm.gov/homepage/text/spc_proj/ihc.html.
2005 Severe Storms and Doppler Radar Conference. Sponsor: Central Iowa Chapter of the National Weather Association (NWA). Des Moines, Iowa: March 31-April 2, 2005. Sessions at this conference include a radar meteorology workshop, tornado video presentations, and discussions about tornado events and forecasting, severe thunderstorms, winter storms, and hurricanes and hurricane-spawned tornadoes. Abstracts are due February 15, 2005. For more information, contact the Central Iowa Chapter-NWA, PO Box 7512, Urbandale, IA 50323; e-mail: iowanwa@everythingweather.com; http://www.iowa-nwa.com/.
Water Law, Science, and Policy Conference. Host: University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources. Lincoln, Nebraska: April 7-8, 2005. Sessions for this year’s conference,“Water Management and Policy in the Great Plains: Implications of Drought and Climate Change,” include “Climate Change and Drought in Western North America,” “Decision Making Under Uncertainty: Water Management and Policy Instruments to Mitigate Drought and Climate Change,” and “Translating Science into Policy and to the Public.” For more information, contact Steve Ress, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Water Center/School of Natural Resources, 103 Natural Resources Hall, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583; (402) 472-3305; e-mail: sress1@unl.edu; http://snr.unl.edu/waterconference/2005conference.asp.
AIRMASS 2005. Host: Wichita Chapter of the American Meteorological Society/National Weather Association. Wichita, Kansas: April 14-15, 2005. The aim of this conference is to foster the sharing of new tools, techniques, and technologies related to forecasting, warning, and response to hazardous weather conditions that affect the central United States. Such conditions include severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, winter storms, and aviation hazards. For more information, contact Brad Ketcham, National Weather Service, 2142 South Tyler Road, Wichita, KS 67209; e-mail: Brad.Ketcham@noaa.gov; http://www.wichita-amsnwa.org/index.php?display=conference.
First Regional Training Course on Skills for Effective Trainers. Organizer: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center. Bangkok, Thailand: April 18-29, 2005. This course is designed to enable participants, specifically those working in research, teaching, management, development, and donor organizations, to effectively develop, present, and manage training programs. For more information, contact the Training and Education Division, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Asian Institute of Technology, PO Box 4 Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; e-mail: tedadpc@adpc.net; http://www.adpc.net/training/SET1-brochure.pdf.
2005 Partners in Emergency Preparedness Conference. Organizers: Washington State Emergency Management Division, Seattle Chapter of the American Red Cross. Bellevue, Washington: April 19-20, 2005. As the largest regional emergency preparedness conference in the Pacific Northwest, this event is designed for emergency management and continuity professionals from business and industry, government, schools, and nonprofit volunteer organizations. Discussions will include crisis communications, the future threat of terrorism, infrastructure resiliency, large-scale computer attacks, and virtual joint information centers. For more information, contact Washington State University Conferences and Professional Programs, PO Box 645222, Pullman, WA 99164; (509) 335-3530, (800) 942-4978; e-mail: wsuconf@wsu.edu; http://capps.wsu.edu/emergencyprep/.
Fire-Rescue Med 2005. Organizer: International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). Las Vegas, Nevada: April 20-22, 2005. Designed to address the essential issues facing the emergency medical services industry today, this conference aims to sharpen leadership skills, tackle system challenges, and provide networking opportunities with experts and leaders. Attendees will include EMS chiefs/directors, EMS providers, fire chiefs/commissioners, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, emergency managers, company-level officers, public heath professionals, and EMS physicians. Preconference sessions are scheduled for April 18 and 19. For more information, contact the IAFC, 4025 Fair Ridge Drive, Fairfax, VA 22033; (703) 273-0911; http://www.iafc.org/conferences/frm/index.asp.
4th UCLA Conference on Public Health and Disasters. Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Center for Public Health and Disasters. Woodland Hills, California: May 1-4, 2005. This multidisciplinary conference will bring together academicians, researchers, practitioners, and policy makers from public health, mental health, community disaster preparedness and response, social sciences, government, media, and nongovernmental organizations in a forum that will promote a dialogue and exchange of ideas for improving public health emergency preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. For more information, contact Andrea Core, UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters, 1145 Gayley Avenue, Suite 304, Los Angeles, CA 90024; (310) 794-0864; e-mail: acore@ucla.edu; http://www.cphd.ucla.edu/conf2005.html.
Risk Communication Challenge: Proven Strategies for Effective Risk Communication. Sponsor: Harvard School of Public Health: Center for Continuing Professional Education, Center for Risk Analysis. Boston, Massachusetts: May 11–13, 2005. Using formal lectures and case-method teaching, this program will teach participants how to effectively communicate about risk. Subject matter will include risk perception, the news media and risk, mental models, and application of techniques. The course is designed for professionals in business, industry, law, advocacy or citizens’ organizations that deal with risk issues, and government officials who make and/or communicate about risk management policy. For more information, contact Harvard School of Public Health Center for Continuing Professional Education, CCPE–Department A, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115; (617) 384-8692; e-mail: contedu@hsph.harvard.edu; http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/ccpe/programs/RCC.shtml.
SismoAdobe2005: International Seminar on Architecture, Construction, and Conservation of Earthen Buildings in Seismic Areas. Organizers: Catholic University of Peru (PUCP), Proterra, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, Getty Conservation Institute. Lima, Peru: May 16-19, 2005. This seminar for architects, civil engineers, restoration experts, researchers, educators, construction technicians, public administrators, and architecture and engineering students will bring together specialists from around the world to discuss the state of the art in architecture, construction, and conservation of earthen buildings and historical monuments in seismic areas. Demonstrations of earthquake-resistant construction techniques for earthen dwellings will be conducted at PUCP’s Structures Laboratory along with full-scale tests of adobe houses with and without seismic reinforcement. Abstracts are due by February 15, 2005. For more information, contact Nicola Tarque, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Departamento de Ingeniería, Avenida Universitaria, Cuadra 18, San Miguel, Lima 32, Perú; (511-1) 626-2000 x4614; e-mail: tarque.sn@pucp.edu.pe; http://www.pucp.edu.pe/eventos/SismoAdobe2005/.
First Regional Training Course on Exercise Management. Organizer: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center. Bangkok, Thailand: May 16-20, 2005. The purpose of this course is to provide emergency and disaster management organizations with tools and a process to evaluate the status and validity of their plans, organizational relationships, capabilities, and strategies in managing emergencies and disasters. For more information, contact the Training and Education Division, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Asian Institute of Technology, PO Box 4 Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; e-mail: tedadpc@adpc.net; http://www.adpc.net/training/SET1-brochure.pdf.
International Conference on Energy, Environment, and Disasters: Bridging the Gaps for Global Sustainable Development. Sponsor: Global Institute for Energy and Environmental Systems (GIEES) at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Charlotte, North Carolina: July 24-30, 2005. This conference is jointly organized by the International Society of Environmental Geotechnology, the Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, and UNESCO. More than 40 other organizations support this conference, which is expected to draw more than 800 researchers, corporate officials, policy makers, teachers, and students from around the world. Discussions will be focused on advancing global sustainable development through efficient/effective programs, research, and policy implementation in the areas of energy, environment, and disasters. Abstracts are due March 30, 2005. For more information, contact Erin LaBarge, c/o GIEES, CARC–Room 238, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28223; (704) 687-2182; e-mail: giees@email.uncc.edu; http://www.iseg.giees.uncc.edu/inceed2005/.
Third International Conference on River Basin Management, Including All Aspects of Hydrology, Ecology, Environmental Management, Flood Plains, and Wetlands. Organizer: Wessex Institute of Technology. Bologna, Italy: September 6-8, 2005. The purpose of this conference is to bring together practicing engineers, environmental managers, and academics to discuss recent advances in the overall management of riverine systems, including advances in hydraulic and hydrologic modeling, environmental protection, and flood forecasting. Abstracts are due as soon as possible. For more information, contact Rachel Green, Wessex Institute of Technology, Ashurst Lodge, Ashurst, Southampton, SO407AA, UK; +44 (0) 238 029 3223; e-mail: rgreen@wessex.ac.uk; http://www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2005/rm05/.
The Sixth Asia-Pacific Conference on Wind Engineering (APCWE-VI). Organizers: Wind Engineering Institute of Korea, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Seoul, Korea: September 12-14, 2005. The APCWE conferences are held every four years as the regional conference of the International Association of Wind Engineering. The main objective of the conference is to exchange wind engineering information among interested scientists and engineers from around the world. This year the conference will focus on “Emerging Technologies in Wind Engineering.” Abstracts are due February 28, 2005. For more information, contact Secretariat, APCWE VI, c/o TP Conference Consultants, PO Box 33, Yuseong, Daejeon 305-600, Korea; +82-42-869-8451; e-mail: apcwe@bomun.kaist.ac.kr; http://apcwe-vi.kaist.ac.kr/apcwemain.htm.
IABSE Symposium: Structures and Extreme Events. Sponsor: International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE). Lisbon, Portugal: September 14-16, 2005. Notwithstanding the remarkable progress in the last decades regarding the development of structural codes and methods of analysis, it is still difficult to respond appropriately to extreme events, which today remain a kind of last frontier in structural engineering. This conference will stimulate structural engineers to give more thought to such problems and provide information and guidance on how to deal with them. For more information, contact IABSE Lisbon 2005, Organizing Committee, c/o LNEC, Av. Brasil, 101, P-1700-066 Lisbon, Portugal; +351-21-844 3260; e-mail: iabse.lisbon2005@lnec.pt; http://www.iabse.ethz.ch/conferences/lisbon2005/.
Questions for the readership and contributions to this e-newsletter are encouraged. Questions and messages should be indicated as such and sent to hazctr@colorado.edu.