1. No category

An Official Side Event of the UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction
Workshop on
Emerging
Trends in
Disaster Risk
Reduction
Tackling Black Swans,
Hyper Risks and
Extreme Events
Date: 17th March 2015
Time: 10:00 – 15:30
Venue: TKP Garden City
Sendai Kotodai
Organisers: Kansai and
Leicester Universities
Abstract Book
http://wcdr2015.net
Table of Contents
Organisers .............................................................................................................................. 1
Overview ................................................................................................................................ 2
Programme ............................................................................................................................ 3
Abstracts ................................................................................................................................ 6
Speakers .............................................................................................................................. 13
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Organisers
This workshop is co
co-organised
organised by the following institutions.
Faculty of Safety Science (FSS)
(FSS),, Kansai University, Japan
Dr Hideyuki Shiroshita, Assistant Professor
Dr Toshio Takatorige, Professor
Ms Emiko Kanoshima, Professor
Civil Safety and Security Unit (CSSU), School of Management, The
University of Leicester, UK
Dr Nibedita S. Ray
Ray-Bennett,
Bennett, Lecturer in Risk Management
Dr Tony Masys, Associate Tutor
If you have any inquiries of this workshop, please feel free to write to us:
[email protected]
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Overview
This workshop highlights some emerging trends and their significance for disaster risk reduction
(DRR). It does so for three inter-related reasons which are delivered in three parts.
First, it aims to highlight the fundamental characteristics of the post-industrial ‘risk societies’ (Beck,
1992) that we live in through hyper-risks, interconnectedness and interdependence of systems and
networks and their potential for abrupt failures (Ray-Bennett et al., 2014a, 2014b; Masys et al., 2014).
When systems fail due to ‘natural’ or human-made crisis and disasters, the consequences are no
longer only local but also global in nature. The first part illustrates this by bringing the case of critical
infrastructure and their vulnerabilities in the UAE and some instances of the most recent naturally
triggered technological (NATEC) disasters. Currently, the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015
(currently under revision) which dictates the domain of DRR is unable to embrace this complex
phenomenon fully.
Second, this theme of complexity, interdependencies and holistic thinking (dubbed as ‘third
generation’ research (Lizarallede et al., 2014) is extended and applied in the context of international
development. Four case studies from South Asia, the Horn of Africa and Australia illustrate systemic
development and strategic leaderships as fulcrum to promote disaster resilience and sustainable
human development.
Third, to tackle hyper-risks related to NATECHs and large scale ‘natural’ or environmental disasters,
speakers in this part propose ‘reflective response’ and ‘co-learning’ in DRR in order to promote
organisational and community resilience.
Updates of this workshop will be uploaded on the website:
http://wcdr2015.net
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Programme
Chairs:
Professor Andrew Collins
Disaster and Development Network, Northumbria University, UK
Professor Toshio Takatorige
Faculty of Safety Science, Kansai University, Japan
Programme:
10.00 am – 10.05 am
Welcome and Opening Comments
10.05 am – 11.00 am
Part I: Complexity Thinking: Vulnerability Analysis of Critical
Infrastructure
Network Thinking: Understanding interdependencies and interconnectivity to support
vulnerability analysis and DRR
Dr Anthony J Masys and Dr Nibedita Ray-Bennett (University of Leicester, UK)
Emerging Critical Infrastructure Vulnerabilities: a perspective of systems thinking & reflective
scenario planning
Dr Tie Xu and Dr Anthony J Masys (University of Modern Sciences Dubai and University of
Leicester, UK)
11.00 am – 11.15 am
Break
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11.15 am – 1.00 pm
Part II: Systems Thinking, Systems Failure and Systems Alignment for
DRR and Development
Why more women die in disasters than men? : Making the case for ‘systems failure’
Dr Nibedita S Ray-Bennett and Mr Bede Wilson (University of Leicester, UK)
Towards a systems approach to drought resilience in the Horn of Africa
Mr Samuel Akera, Mr J.A.C. Manzano, Mr L. Ogallo, Dr Nibedita S Ray-Bennett and Dr
Anthony J Masys (UNDP, Nairobi, IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre
(ICPAC), Nairobi and University of Leicester, UK)
Disaster Dynamics: The Unintended Effects of Disaster Resilience Initiatives
Mr Bede Wilson (University of Leicester, UK)
Trust, emergent learning and building of communities of practice: Lessons we can draw from
the case of drought proofing in Maharashtra, India
Dr Supriya Akerkar (Oxford-Brookes University, UK)
1.00 pm – 2.00 pm
Lunch
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2.00 pm – 3.00 pm
Part III: Tackling Complexities and Hyper-Risks
Co-learning in Nepal: How can we learn from each other? Realising co-learning between
experts and non-experts
Dr Hideyuki Shiroshita (Kansai University, Japan)
A Critical Pedagogy of Risk: Empowering Children with Knowledge and Skills for DRR
Dr Briony Towers (RMIT University, Australia)
Reactive to Pro-active to Reflective Disaster Responses: Introducing Critical Reflective
Practices in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
Dr Nibedita S Ray-Bennett, Dr Anthony Masys, Dr Hideyuki Shiroshita and Professor Peter
Jackson (University of Leicester, UK)
3.00 pm – 3.30 pm
Concluding Remarks from the Chairs
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Abstracts
Part I: Complexity Thinking: Vulnerability Analysis of Critical
Infrastructure
Network Thinking: Understanding interdependencies and
interconnectivity to support vulnerability analysis and DRR
Dr Anthony J Masys and Dr Nibedita Ray-Bennett (University of Leicester, UK)
Recently the global threat landscape has seen the emergence of high impact, low probability events.
Events like Hurricane Katrina, the Great Japan Earthquake and tsunami, Hurricane Sandy, Super
Typhoon Haiyan, global terrorist activities have become the new normal. Extreme events challenge
our understanding regarding the interdependencies and complexity of the disaster aetiology and are
often referred to as Black Swans. Taleb (2007) describes black swans as that which is an outlier, that
which is outside the realm of regular expectations which carries with it an extreme impact such as
natural disasters, market crashes, catastrophic failure of complex socio-technical systems and
terrorist events such as 9/11. These “surprising events” reflect an organizations inability to recognize
evidence of new vulnerabilities or the existence of ineffective countermeasures (Woods, 2006, p. 24).
This necessitates the requirement to readjust to their existence and thereby the need to consider the
extremes (Taleb, 2007, p. xx). This complex threat and risk landscape characterized by
hyper/hybrid-risks (Masys et al., 2014) calls for new approaches to better understand the disaster
events to support disaster risk reduction and resilience. This paper will discuss the application of
‘network thinking’ as an approach to reveal the interdependencies and interconnectivity inherent
within the hyper-risks that characterizes our current threat and risk landscape and in this way support
vulnerability analysis and disaster risk reduction.
Emerging Critical Infrastructure Vulnerabilities: a perspective of systems
thinking & reflective scenario planning
Dr Tie Xu and Dr Anthony J Masys (University of Modern Sciences Dubai and University of Leicester,
UK)
Critical Infrastructure (CI) has become fundamental to the functioning of our economy and the public
wellbeing in all countries, both within and across borders. Modern society increasingly depends on
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the goods and services provided by critical infrastructures. The failure or damage of electric power
grid, transportation links, telecommunication networks, healthcare and water-supply systems would
not only cause huge social disruption and crippling effect on the civil security but also affect the
economic well-being of any nation. Critical infrastructure can be broadly defined as the assets,
systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual ‘[…] so vital and ubiquitous that their incapacity or
destruction would not only affect the security and social welfare of any nation, but also cascade
across borders’ (Gheorghe, et al., 2013: 3). The interdependency and interconnectivity that
characterizes the CI domain makes it highly complex. Vespignani (2010:984) argues that
‘…relatively localized damage in one system may lead to failure in another, triggering a disruptive
avalanche of cascading and escalating failures. Understanding the fragility induced by multiple
interdependencies is one of the major challenges in the design of resilient infrastructures’.
Recent disasters such as Japan Earthquake/Tsunami (2011), Hurricane Sandy (2012) and Typhoon
Haiyan (2013) highlight the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to conjoint events of social, natural
and technical disasters. Therefore, it is argued that events of socio-technical failure can be
understood only by analyzing its paradigm of interdependency, complexity and wholeness. Systems
thinking and scenario planning have their applications as reflective practices to enable resilience
through ‘active foresight’.
By drawing upon an analysis of CI vulnerabilities within the UAE through the application of systems
thinking (in particular Actor Network Theory) and scenario planning, this paper illustrates how a
network mindset can support critical infrastructure protection by revealing the hyper/hybrid risks
(Masys et al., 2014), the systemic complexity and interdependency-induced vulnerability.
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Part II: Systems Thinking, Systems Failure and Systems
Alignment for DRR and Development
Why more women die in disasters than men? : Making the case for
‘systems failure’
Dr Nibedita S Ray-Bennett and Mr Bede Wilson (University of Leicester, UK)
Global disaster mortality data by gender and class indicates that more women die in disasters than
men (Lass et al., 2011; Neumayer and Plümper, 2007; Kapur, 2010; WHO, 2005). This research
offers two analytical tools ‘systems failure’ and ‘systems alignment’ to explore why this may be the
case. The mainstream disaster risk reduction (DRR) studies explain that human deaths (including
women’s) are accidents, triggered by natural hazards—an inevitable occurrence in an environment
that is physically vulnerable. Whereas ‘gender and disaster’ studies argue that women’s
subordination and vulnerability is rooted in everyday social and cultural practices. In times of disaster,
this subordinate position increases the likelihood of women’s vulnerability (including death) to
environmental hazards.
This research, on the other hand posits that the reasons for women’s deaths are rather complex.
They are complex because they occur at the seams of nature-human-technology failures which is
illustrated through the analytical tool called ‘systems failure’. Systems fail when there is a gap
between the wider system and the sub-system thinking which can manifest through different
worldviews
(Weltanschauung)
(Checkland,
1985),
deficient
communication
and
deficient
organisation (Lalonde, 2012). The consequence of this failure is ‘emergent behaviour’ (Kast and
Rosenzweig, 1972; Waring, 1989) which means more women’s death during disasters. ‘Systems
alignment’, the second analytical tool, on the other hand, aims to reduce the systems gap by
accommodating worldviews, re-structuring organisations and enhancing communication (between
hard and soft systems). Perfect systems alignment is difficult to achieve in a highly politicised ‘messy,
ill-structured, real-world’ (Vickers, 1983; Checkland, 1985). However, a ‘weaker’ version of systems
alignment by designing an overall objective to reduce women’s death amongst all the actors who
work at the interface of natural-human-technology systems can lead to a positive outcome. Odisha,
an eastern state of India is used as a case study to illustrate this. It is anticipated that this research
will aid effective policy planning and generate new research to reduce human deaths at large.
Towards a systems approach to drought resilience in the Horn of Africa
Mr Samuel Akera, Mr J.A.C. Manzano, Mr L. Ogallo, Dr Nibedita S Ray-Bennett and Dr Anthony J
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Masys (UNDP, Nairobi, GAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), Nairobi and
University of Leicester)
Over the past decades, the Horn of Africa (HoA) has experienced some of the worst disasters in the
World. With 60-70 per cent of the land area classified as arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), the
region is particularly vulnerable to frequent and prolonged drought that usually result into
catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
Contemporary literature attributes the causes of drought crisis in the HoA to several factors such as
insufficient rainfall, environmental degradation, desertification, population growth, poverty and
climate change. These arrays of challenges unarguably lead to negative socio-economic and
environmental effects such as loss of lives and livestock, hunger and food insecurity, malnutrition,
shortage of water for human and animal consumption, poverty, displacement and resource-based
conflict. In order to address the challenges posed by drought, humanitarian organizations in the past
designed and implemented various interventions that are normally in line with their institutional
mandates.
While the linear cause – effect relationship as presented above is undisputable, and that the existing
approach to drought management may incrementally mitigate the impact of the crisis, this paper
takes a systems approach to provide an alternative explanation to the causes and solution to drought
crises in the Horn of Africa. More concretely, this paper argues that the drought crisis in the HOA can
also be understood as a case for ‘systems failure’ (Masys, 2012; Ray-Bennett, forthcoming). The
case for systems failure is argued through lack of coordination, disjointed communication and
fragmented programming. The operationalization of Inter-governmental Authority for Development
(IGAD) Drought Disaster Resilience and Sustainability Initiative (IDDRSI) in three countries namely
Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia are showcased as some of the early initiatives in the region to rectify
systems failure for effective drought management. It is anticipated that this paper will aid policy
planning, improved practise and generate new research to address drought resilience in the HOA
and beyond.
Disaster Dynamics: The Unintended Effects of Disaster Resilience
Initiatives
Mr. Bede Wilson (University of Leicester)
A key component of Australia’s National Strategy for Disaster Resilience is ‘shared responsibility’,
the idea that governments, businesses, non-government organisations and individuals need to
collectively adopt greater responsibility for disaster resilience. In examining the small community of
Springbrook, Wilson (2015) highlighted that differing world views may lead to entirely different
perspectives on how responsibilities should be shared. In this paper, system dynamics is used to
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further examine responsibilities for resilience in the Springbrook community. Interactions between
world views are modelled using causal loop diagrams to examine the effect of disaster resilience
initiatives designed to promote shared responsibility. Through this it is found that interventions
intended to improve disaster preparedness can in fact reinforce existing behaviours, and that it is the
dynamics of the community itself that generate these seemingly counter-intuitive effects. In doing so
the research also highlights the complexity of community resilience and the benefit of systems
thinking in highlighting new policy options.
Trust, emergent learning and building of communities of practice:
Lessons we can draw from the case of drought proofing in Maharashtra,
India
Dr Supriya Akerkar (Oxford-Brookes University)
The relationship between social resilience and ecological resilience and their interdependence in any
ecosystem has now been studied (Gadgil et al 1988; Blakie et al 1987; Adger 2000). Studies have
posited how disturbances to ecological systems have undermined livelihoods of people and social
institutions which sustained these livelihoods. Similarly, they have noted how changes implemented
by alien powers (such as by imperial powers) in the social institutions, namely rules of behaviour
amongst the community members have led to destruction or degradation of ecological systems
(Grove, 1997; Rangarajan, 1991). However what are less well understood are the social processes
of learning under which such degraded ecological systems and livelihoods can be revived and
revitalised. This paper studies the transition made by a drought affected village: Hiwre Bazaar in
Maharashtra India into a drought resistant village. This paper argues that the revival of ecological
diversity and livelihoods and their sustainability are dependent upon the ability of the community
leadership to undertake social learning strategies that emphasise such revival. In particular it shows
that the ability of the community to undertake emergent learning as they work towards ecological
revival is vital to build new social institutions of trust which protect and value this revival. It further
argues that replication of such successes requires a conscious strategy of building communities of
practice that enable trust through emergent learning in order to encourage social and ecological
resilience.
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Part III: Tackling Complexities and Hyper-Risks
Co-learning in Nepal: How can we learn from each other? Realising
co-learning between experts and non-experts
Dr Hideyuki Shiroshita (Kansai University, Japan)
Based on the lessons learned from the Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004, it can be said that disaster
education as knowledge transmission is important. However, the Japanese Tohoku Tsunami 2011
case showed a different result. When Tohoku tsunami occurred, most people did not evacuate
immediately although they had had basic understanding of tsunamis and how to deal with them.
Instead of expeditious evacuation, the people waited for the official information from the tsunami
warning by the weather bureau in Japan and the tsunami evacuation order by the local government.
Several recent studies (e.g. Yamori, 2013) have already pointed out the reason the people had not
evacuated immediately. These studies focused on the relation between experts and non-experts and
identified the reason the non-experts depend on the experts. In addition, it is also pointed out that
knowledge transmission from experts to non-experts through disaster education strengthens this
dependence. In order to solve this issue, several solutions that attempt to change the relation
between experts and non-experts have been proposed.
However, co-learning as a way of collaboration between experts and non-experts is not easy. This is
because disaster co-learning is defined as the situation that BOTH experts and non-experts mutually
learn something related to disasters or disaster managements. In many cases, only the non-experts
learn from the collaboration. In other words, the experts transmit knowledge to the non-experts
through the collaboration. As Freire (Paulo Freire, 1970) stated ‘one cannot expect positive results
from an educational programme which fails to respect the particular view of the world held by the
people’, it is therefore recognized that the experts should also learn from the non-experts through the
collaboration.
In this presentation, a way of realising co-learning is proposed based on the case studies both in
Nepal and Japan. Finding out embedded ideas in our daily life become the learning resource for the
experts will be explained.
A Critical Pedagogy of Risk: Empowering Children with Knowledge and
Skills for DRR
Dr Briony Towers (RMIT University, Australia)
In recent years, the concept of child-centred disaster risk reduction (CC-DRR) has gained significant
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traction in DRR research, policy, and programming. In essence, CC-DRR involves strengthening
children’s knowledge and skills so that they understand the risk of disasters in their communities and
are able to take a lead role in reducing those risks. As such, education for DRR should be considered
a fundamental element of any CC-DRR initiative. Yet, discussions relating to questions of pedagogy
(or instructional strategy) are notably absent from the contemporary CC-DRR discourse. This paper
seeks to initiate discussion and debate in this area by proposing a critical pedagogy of risk. Drawing
on the pioneering work of Paulo Freire, Henry Giroux, Ira Schor and Joe Kincheloe, the paper
presents a model of DRR education that is 1) grounded on a social and educational vision of justice
and equality, 2) constructed on the belief that education is inherently political, and 3) dedicated to the
alleviation of human suffering. The model also emphasises the importance of generative and topical
themes as tools for enhancing knowledge of DRR at local, national and global scales. The paper
concludes with a discussion of the value of a critical pedagogy of risk to integrative risk management
and a brief discussion of some of the challenges involved in making a critical pedagogy of risk a
classroom reality.
Reactive to Pro-active to Reflective Disaster Responses: Introducing
Critical Reflective Practices in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
Dr Nibedita S Ray-Bennett, Dr Anthony Masys, Dr Hideyuki Shiroshita and Professor Peter Jackson
(University of Leicester)
Beck (1992) described the modern or post-industrial landscapes as a ‘risk society’. The fundamental
characteristic of this risk society is its interconnectedness and interdependence which make systems
and networks highly complex so much so that they are often vulnerable to abrupt failures. The
landscape of risk society is highly prone to social, natural and technical hazards. The ‘dangers’
created from the combination of these hazards in this interconnected world are hyper/hybrid-risks
illustrated through the increase in ‘natural’/environmental and naturally triggered technical (NATECH)
disasters in general. In such a context, this paper calls for a ‘reflective response’ one that is based on
critical reflective practices and systems thinking to counter hyper-risks and develop organisational
resilience. Some methodologies and methods to promote reflective response are discussed.
Usefulness of a reflective response and disaster risk reduction (DRR) are also explored. A charter of
reflective response is suggested.
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Speakers
Names are sorted in accordance with the programme.
Dr Anthony J Masys, CSSU, Leicester University, UK
Anthony Masys is a defense scientist within the Centre for Security Science (CSS) at Defence
Research Development Canada (DRDC). In support of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and G8 and
G20 Summits in 2010, Dr Masys was assigned as scientific advisor to the British Columbia Provincial
Emergency Operations Centre (PREOC) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Major Events
and Protective Policing respectively. In this role for the RCMP he was involved in the development of
a ‘whole of government’ planning framework for major events safety and security operations. Dr.
Masys is a former senior air force officer and has been involved in operations ranging from search
and rescue to interdiction operations, and underwater surveillance. In addition he has held positions
pertaining to Operational Test and Evaluation, Modeling and Simulation and has worked in support
of the development of international standards for Verification, Validation and Accreditation (VV&A).
With a BSc in Physics, MSc in Underwater Acoustics and Oceanography and PhD in Sociology, Dr
Masys has published extensively in the domains of physics, modeling and simulation and sociology.
His current research interests focus on complex socio-technical systems, systems thinking, human
error, accident theory, risk, crisis and disaster management.
Member of the advisory Board for Springer Publishing book series: Lecture Notes in Social
Networks.
Dr Nibedita S. Ray-Bennett, Lecturer in Risk Management, CSSU,
Leicester University, UK
Dr Nibedita S Ray-Bennett obtained her BA in English Literature from University of Delhi (1999), MA
in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (2001) and PhD in Sociology from Warwick
University (2007). Nibedita joined the Civil Safety and Security Unit (CSSU) as Lecturer in Risk
Management in 2012. Prior to that Nibedita was an ESRC Research Associate at Northumbria
University (2007-2009), part-time Lecturer in Sociology at Warwick University (2005-2007, 2010)
and Lecturer in Disaster and Emergencies at Cranfield University (2010- 2012). She was also
involved in the ‘capacity building’ of the Indonesian Defence University in Jakarta through teaching.
Between September 2013 and January 2014, Nibedita was the Acting Director of the Unit. Currently
she co-manages the MSc in Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management (RCDM). She is also the Director
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of her new short course: Practising Reflection: Reflective Practices in Disaster Risk Reduction
Nibedita’s research interests include sociology of risk, crisis and disasters, gender mainstreaming,
disaster risk reduction (DRR), health security, systems thinking and critical reflective practices at the
interface with international development.
As a Principal Investigator Nibedita led an international team to make an Input into the International
Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) Thematic Review of the Hyogo Framework for Action. The
team’s Input on ‘hyper risks and critical reflective practices’ also appeared in the UNISDR’s Global
Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2015. Furthermore, organising a Public Forum on
‘Emerging Trends in Disaster Risk Reduction’ in Sendai parallel to the UN’s 3rd World Disaster
Conference is a further evidence of the team’s dedication to disseminate information on ‘hyper risk
and critical reflective practices’ to a wider audience.
Currently, Nibedita is on sabbatical completing her second monograph for Sage Publications. This
research funded by the College of Social Sciences Research Development Fund, explores why more
women die in natural disasters than men. Nibedita is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy,
Research Affiliate at Northumbria University, Fellow of the Institute of Civil Protection and
Emergency Management and a Member of the Centre for Centre for Landscape and Climate
Research at Leicester.
Dr Tie Xu, University of Modern Sciences Dubai, UAE
Dr. Tie Xu is Dean for the College of Business, University of Modern Sciences (UMS) in United Arab
Emirates. He is also acting as Director of Postgraduate Studies & Research and currently leading
academic developments in the specialist areas of logistics & supply chain management, petroleum
operations management and crisis & emergency management. UMS is a fast growing private
university in Dubai accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research
(MOHESR). UMS is founded by its chairman His Excellency Rashid Abdullah Rashid Al Falasy, who
is a dedicated promoter of professional and higher education in the UAE. Dr. Tie Xu graduated from
Aston Business School in the UK in 2004 with a doctorate degree in manufacturing and operations
management. Prior to his appointment at UMS for 9 years he was a senior lecturer in logistics &
supply chain management at the Sunderland Business School where he also ran the executive
education courses for managers with Nissan UK for over 4 years. He was also an External Examiner
& Academic Advisor for 5 years at the Newcastle Business School which also runs the largest
program in this specialism in China in collaboration with Hong Kong Polytechnic University. In
addition to his PhD specialism, Dr. Tie Xu is also interested in risk, disaster & business sustainability
management in the private sector. He is actively engaged with the best practice from leading
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executive education providers in this specialism and seeking possible collaborative opportunities
with prestigious institutions for prompting UMS brand on a global stage. He has recently completed
the Executive Education program of Leadership in Crises: Preparation & Performance at Harvard
Kennedy School Harvard University in the U.S.A. He is currently undertaking executive education for
a part-time MSc in Risk, Crisis & Disaster Management at University of Leicester which is a
top-ranking UK university with a world renowned reputation for management education. Dr. Tie Xu
can be contacted at: [email protected]
Mr Bede Wilson, State of Queensland, Australia
Bede Wilson is a disaster manager working in the state of Queensland, Australia. In his role he works
regularly with government agencies, non-government organisations and community groups to
develop an effective disaster management capability. He gained is MSc in Risk, Crisis and Disaster
Management from the University of Leicester in 2014. His research interests include disaster
resilience policy and the use of simulations and exercises to improve disaster response.
Mr Samuel Akera, Programme Specialist, UNDP/IGAD, Kenya
Mr. Samuel Akera is a Programme Specialist, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) with United Nations
Development Programme, Regional Service Centre, Nairobi, Kenya. He is part of the UNDP
technical team that is implementing a project, ‘Strengthening the capacity of Intergovernmental
Authority for Development (IGAD) in building resilience in the Horn of Africa (HoA)’. The project aims
to achieve sustainable development in the HoA by developing disaster resilience capacity in IGAD
and its Member States – Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti Kenya, Somali, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.
He is the winner of UK’s Adult Learners’ Award, ‘Learning for Work Award’, 2014. Before joining the
UNDP Regional Service Centre, he had worked in four different countries in Africa and South East
Asia, providing technical and advisory support to the United Nations and the National Governments
in Uganda, Kenya, Lesotho and Thailand. His main area of specialization include disaster risk and
vulnerability assessment;
mainstreaming
DRR in development
planning
processes;
risk
communication and capacity building. He holds a MSc. in Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management,
University of Leicester, UK and a M.A in Development Studies, Uganda Martyrs University. He also
did a short course in Practising Reflection: Reflective Practices in Disaster Risk Reduction.
Dr Supriya Akerkar, Senior lecturer, Oxford Brookes University, UK
Dr Supriya Akerkar is a senior lecturer in disaster risk reduction, and the programme leader for MA in
Development and Emergency Practice with Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK. She is also the
member of Gender and Disaster Network. Her work which spans over more than twenty years
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includes research, and leading rights based initiatives in development and disaster, with gender and
vulnerable groups as one of the focal themes. She has worked with DFID India, Action Aid
International, social movement and advocacy groups to institutionalise gender and social equity
concerns in policy and programming in Africa, South and South East Asia, with a focus on India. She
has led disaster response, recovery, preparedness and risk reduction initiatives after Gujarat
earthquake of 2001, Eastern India floods in 2004 and 2006; and tsunami of 2004 in affected South
Asian countries. Her research has investigated constraints and opportunities in mainstreaming
community participation and rights agenda in disaster response and recovery initiatives. Her
longitudinal study published recently in November 2014, of widows widowed in tsunami of 2004
shows that beyond support in physical and economic assets such as housing and livelihoods; the
women valued social support systems that built their voice, esteem, and social acceptance. Her
current research work analyses the dynamics of social learning processes that empower local
communities to undertake sustainable regeneration of their natural resources.
Dr Hideyuki Shiroshita, Faculty of Safety Science, Kansai University,
Japan
Dr Hideyuki Shiroshita has been working as an assistant professor at the Faculty of Safety Science,
Kansai University in Japan since 2010. He has also been involved in Disaster and Development
Centre, Northumbria University as a research affiliate since 2007. He experienced the Kobe
earthquake in 1995, and this is one of the reasons why he started to study disaster management.
He has been studying disaster education and has a particular interest in disaster education for
children. He obtained PhD degree from Kyoto University in 2010. The title of the PhD thesis was, “A
Study on Participatory Disaster Education for Realising the Integrated Disaster Management “.
He is currently carrying out various educational projects, such as “the learning programme through
Manten project (an earthquake prediction project)” and “Transforming an earthquake observatory
into a science museum”.
Dr Briony Towers, Research fellow, RMIT University, Australia
Briony is a research fellow in RMIT University’s Centre for Risk and Community Safety. She obtained
her PhD in Psychology from the University of Tasmania in 2012 (Thesis title: Children’s knowledge of
vulnerability and Resilience to Bushfire). Her main area of research is focussed on children’s roles in
disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. She is currently conducting a three study titled
“Building Best-practice in Child Centred Disaster Risk Reduction” which is funded by the Bushfire
and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre. Briony is a registered member of DRANZEN
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(Disaster Resilient Australia and New Zealand Schools Network) – an Australian Government funded
network which advocates for and promotes disaster resilience education. She is also the Field
Reports Editor for the peer-reviewed journal, Children, Youth and Environments.
Professor Peter Jackson, University of Leicester, UK
Professor Peter Jackson is the Director of Enterprise for the College of Social Science at the
University of Leicester. He is Professor of Economics and Strategy in the School of Management.
Professor Jackson’s research interests include public sector management and public finance. He is
currently a specialist adviser to the Finance Committee of the Scottish Parliament. More details of his
profile can be viewed at: http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/management/people/pjackson
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