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- IRDR Public Events Calendar 2022–23
Current 2021–2022 MSc party Weds 21st September, 16:00-19:00 Current MSc students, staff Induction for BSc students Mon 26th – Tues 27th September New BSc students, staff Induction for new MSc and MRes students Weds 28th Sept 14:00-18:00 New Master's students, staff PhD student induction and welcome party Weds 5th Oct, 16:00-19:00 PhD students, staff IRDR Monthly Seminar: Engaging communities in multi-risk governance: From stories to scenarios Tues 15th Nov, 17:00-18:00 Staff, students and public IRDR Debate: Do the Risks of the Festive Season outweigh the Benefits? Tues 22nd Nov, 18:00-22:00 Staff, students, members, alumni IRDR Careers: Disaster Risk Reduction Consultancies Thurs 1st Dec, 18:30-20:00 Current students and public IRDR Monthly Seminar: Engaging with the political spaces of adaptation and risk management Tues 6th Dec, 17:00-18:00 Staff, students and public IRDR Christmas Party Tues 6th Dec, 18:00 onwards Staff, students IRDR PhD Student Forum + Reception Weds 11th Jan, 13:00-20:00 Staff, PhD students IRDR Monthly Seminar Tues 10th Jan, 17:00-18:00 Staff, students and public IRDR Careers: Business Continuity in the Private Sector Thurs 19th Jan 18:30-20:00 Current students and public IRDR Monthly Seminar Tues 7th Feb, 17:00-18:00 Staff, students and public Enterprise workshop Fri 17th Feb, 10:00-15:00 Current students and public IRDR Careers and Opportunities Fair Weds 22nd Feb, 17:00-20:00 Current students, applicants, UCL students, public IRDR Centre for Gender and Disaster - Public Panel Event TBC IRDR Monthly Seminar Tues 14th Mar, 17:00-18:00 Students, staff, public IRDR Alumni Mixer event Thurs 23rd Mar, 18:00-21:00 IRDR alumni, current students, staff IRDR Spring Academy Thurs 27h April & Fri 28th April Staff, PhD students IRDR Monthly Seminar Tues 2nd May, 17:00–18:00 Students, staff, public Humanitarian Institute SDG Evening Conference Thurs 11th May, 17:00-20:00 Students, staff, public Humanitarian Institute Masterclass Fri 12th May tbc IRDR dPHE Anniversary event tbc tbc CPD/Humanitarian Institute Masterclass Tues 20th Jun, 09:00-18:00 tbc Humanitarian Summit Weds 21st Jun, 09:00-20:00 staff, students, public IRDR Annual Conference Thurs 22nd Jun, 09:00-21:00 staff, students, public - UCL IRDR in the Media
Experts from the UCL Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction are frequently called upon for commentary and insights during and after major disasters. Recent UCL IRDR media appearances include:
Prof Ilan Kelman on whether we can reduce lives lost from extreme weather
2 January 2023, Prof Ilan Kelman appeared on the BBC World Service programme 'The Climate Question' discussing how the number of lives lost due to extreme weather can be reduced.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct3kk2Prof Joanna Faure Walker on how to respond and reconstruct when disaster strikes
13 December 2022, Prof Joanna Faure Walker appeared on Euronews as part of a panel discussing disaster reconstruction with a focus on the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami.
www.euronews.com/2022/12/06/euronews-debates-how-do-you-respond-and-reconstruct-when-disaster-strikesDr Mohammad Shamsudduha on how irrigation systems in Bangladesh may help to avoid flooding
15 September 2022, Dr Mohammad Shamsudduha was quoted in a New Scientist article about how farmers' irrigation systems are helping to avoid flooding in Bangladesh. The piece referenced research conducted by Shams and published in Science.
www.newscientist.com/article/2338117-farmers-in-bangladesh-pump-so-much-water-it-may-help-reduce-floods/Dr Gianluca Pescaroli on how banks are preparing for winter power shortages
7 September 2022, Dr Gianluca Pescaroli was featured in a Reuter's analysis of how European banks and financial institutions are preparing for potential winter power shortages.
www.reuters.com/business/finance/europes-banks-dim-lights-they-brace-winter-blackout-2022-09-07/23 September 2022, he also appeared in a feature on Bloomberg UK about how banks are using their lockdown plans to prepare for power blackouts.
www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-23/banks-dust-off-lockdown-plans-to-beat-possible-power-blackoutsDr Louisa Acciari on the devastating floods in Recife
29 May 2022, Dr Louisa Acciari gave an interview to French-language news channel RFI about the flooding in Recife.
www.rfi.fr/fr/amériques/20220529-brésil-pluies-et-glissements-de-terrain-meurtriers-dans-le-nord-est-du-paysDr Gianluca Pescaroli on why risk management experts are in high demand
10 March 2022, Dr Gianluca Pescaoli was featured in a BBC article about the demand for risk management experts and their increasing importance in the workplace.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60660760Prof Ilan Kelman on the 'grim reading' but glimmers of hope in major UN report on Climate Change
28 February 2022, Prof Ilan Kelman was quoted by ITV in a story about the findings of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, published in February 2022. https://www.itv.com/news/2022-02-28/climate-change-threatening-human-civilisation-and-time-is-running-outProf Kelman also published two commentaries on the report: Psychology and The Conversation.
Dr Joanna Faure Walker on predicting earthquakes
21 March 2021, Dr Faure Walker appeared on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire's "Naked scientists" programme discussing why we cannot predict earthquakes.#MyLockdownJournal
25 June 2020, the Centre for Digital Public Health in Emergencies' app that tracks people's coronavirus lockdown activities was featured in the Mail Online and iNews. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8455071/More-half-locked-Britons-exercising-day.htmlCovid-19 pandemic coverage
March–April 2020, a number of our staff appeared in the global media about the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, commenting on aspects ranging from prevention, preparedness, and emergency management for a pandemic to the international political effects, the consequences of lockdown, and digital epidemiology. Some of those appearances are listed in this news article.Dr Gianluca Pescaroli on flooding and flood risk
1 March 2020, Dr Gianluca Pescaroli discussing flooding and flood risk in the wake of storms Ciara and Dennis in early 2020, on Sky Breakfast News (Sunday). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itMCPqMtTuADr Robert Wicks and Professor Ilan Kelman on the impact of solar storms on power networks
18 January 2020, as Sky One aired disaster drama series COBRA, Dr Robert Wicks and Professor Ilan Kelman spoke to Sky News about the impact of solar storms on power networks.https://news.sky.com/story/cobra-could-power-on-earth-really-be-wiped-out-by-a-solar-storm-11905286
IRDR and Tohoku University IRIDeS on the Role of Gender in Evacuation
11 October 2018, Prof Maureen Fordham, other IRDR staff and our colleagues at Tohoku University feature on NHK News, Japan's largest broadcasting organisation (in Japanese)
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20181012/k10011668431000.htmlProf David Alexander commentary on Hurricane Ophelia and Ireland
18 October 2017, an opinion piece in the Irish Times newspaper on "Why Ireland had to shut down for Ophelia". https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/why-ireland-had-to-shut-down-for-storm-ophelia-1.3259486
Dr Joanna Faure Walker on September 2017 Mexico City Earthquake
Thursday 21st September 2017, discussing damage and risk reduction relating to the Mexico City earthquake on BBC News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjaV1qCmxMc
Wednesday 20th September, commentary on the Mexico Earthquake on TRT World news: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eCAasrlmiX4
Dr Joanna Faure Walker on Caribbean Hurricanes
Saturday 9th September 2017, commentary post disaster housing in the Caribbean on Radio 4's Today Programme: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09309gz
Dr Ilan Kelman commentary on Hurricane Harvey
Friday 1st September 2017, authored an article in Dezeen: "Urban design caused the Hurricane Harvey disaster": https://www.dezeen.com/2017/09/01/urban-design-caused-hurricane-harvey-disaster-houston-flooding-ilan-kelman-opinion/
Thursday 31st August 2017, interviewed by CBC News on Hurricane Harvey and the poor (audio link): http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1036699715511
Wednesday 30th August 2017, authored an article in The Independent on No, climate change didn't cause the Hurricane Harvey disaster – society did: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/hurricane-harvey-climate-change-infrastructure-government-weather-texas-a7920106.html
Wednesday 30th August 2017, quoted in Press TV: More storms expected due to global warming, scientists say: http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2017/08/30/533471/Global-Warming-Hurricane-Harvey-Scientists
Tuesday 29th August 2017, quoted in BBC News: Hurricane Harvey: The link to climate change: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-41082668
Tuesday 29th August 2017, authored an article in The Conversation on Don’t blame climate change for the Hurricane Harvey disaster – blame society: https://theconversation.com/dont-blame-climate-change-for-the-hurricane-harvey-disaster-blame-society-83163 also published on Yahoo News News https://www.yahoo.com/news/don-apos-t-blame-climate-121158519.html
Tuesday 29th August 2017, authored an article in Yes! Magazine: Hurricane Harvey Isn’t a “Natural” Disaster. Politics Created the Chaos: http://www.yesmagazine.org/planet/hurricane-harvey-isnt-a-natural-disaster-politics-created-the-chaos-20170829, also published on Vox Populi https://voxpopulisphere.com/2017/08/30/ilan-kelman/
Dr Ilan Kelman on Climate Migrants
Friday 18th August 2017, authored an article in Thompson Reuters Foundation News, on How do islanders think about becoming climate migrants?
- 2021–2022 Public Events Calendar
Current 2020-2021 MSc party Tues 21st Sept 15:00-18:00 Staff and Master’s students Induction for new MSc and MRes students Wed 29th Sep, 14:00-17:00 Staff and Master’s students Induction for new MSc and MRes students Reception Wed 29th Sep, 17:00-19:00 Staff and Master’s students Masters drop-in session for module selection support Thurs 30th Sep, 10:00-13:00 Staff and Master’s students IRDR Special Seminar and reception Tues 12th Oct, 17:00 seminar, 18:00 reception Staff, students and the public IRDR Monthly Seminar (IRDR0005) Tues 16th Nov, 17:00-18:00 Public Alumni Reception Tues 23rd Nov, 18:00-22:00 IRDR Alumni, staff, students and members Enterprise workshop Thurs 2nd Dec, 16:00-19:00 UCL students IRDR Monthly Seminar (IRDR0005) Tues 7th Dec, 17:00-18:00 Staff, students and the public IRDR Christmas Party Postponed IRDR staff, students and members IRDR PhD Student Forum + Reception Wed 19th Jan, 14:00-20:00 IRDR staff and students; external supervisors of IRDR students IRDR Monthly Seminar (IRDR0005) Tues 11th Jan, 17:00-18:00 Public Enterprise workshop Thurs 20th Jan, 16:00-19:00 UCL students IRDR Monthly Seminar (IRDR0005) Tues 1st Feb, 17:00-18:00 Public Enterprise workshop Fri 18th Feb, 10:00-15:00 UCL students IRDR Careers Fair Wed 23rd Feb, 17:00-20:00 Students, prospective students and the public (restrictions permitting) IRDR Centre for Gender and Disaster - Public Panel Event Thurs 10th Mar, 18:30-20:00 Public IRDR Monthly Seminar (IRDR0005) Tues 15th Mar, 17:00-18:00 Public IRDR Alumni Mixer event Thurs 24th Mar, 18:00-21:00 IRDR Alumni, staff, students IRDR Spring Academy Mon 25th April & Tues 26th April All IRDR staff and PhD students
IRDR Monthly Seminar (IRDR0005) Tues 3rd May, 17:00-18:00 Public Humanitarian Institute SDG Evening Conference Thurs 12th May, 17:00-20:00 Public CPD/HI Masterclass Tues 14th Jun, 09:00-18:00 Public Humanitarian Summit Wed 15th Jun, 09:00-20:00 Public IRDR Annual Conference - Main Event, Reception and meetings Thurs 16th Jun, 09:00-21:00 Public IRDR dPHE Anniversary event Wed 6th July, time TBC Public
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