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Launching the UCL Warning Research Centre - a reflection of the events
14 September 2021
We have lots of great news from the UCL Warning Research Centre this summer including our two launch events in July, new social media channels and resources, and we are also delighted to welcome new WRC members and affiliate to the team, building our global expertise and reach
The Launch of the UCL WRC
The UCL WRC were invited to host the 11th Annual Conference of the UCL Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction (IRDR) on 23rd June, providing a whole day event focused on ‘Why Warnings Matter’. UNDRR Head Mami Mizutori gave a plenary keynote at the launch event and officially launched the WRC stating that it was “timely and important”, adding: “the centre explicitly brings together not just researchers but also practitioners, policymakers, media, the public and importantly will guide the next generation of students, who will be adding their energy, urgency, intelligence and creativity to solve some of the thorniest challenges of our time. It is truly another great example of a whole of society approach.” Two panel sessions explored 'Warning Systems – exceptional versus expected events’ and ‘Warnings for organisations’, and an ‘In Conversation’ session led by renowned journalist Andrew Revkin brought together Oliver Morgan from the WHO and Dr Gail Carson from GOARN to discuss warnings for health risks such as pandemics.
A second dedicated STS launch event took place on 30th June focused on ‘What warnings mean?’ Three sessions brought together experts from all over the globe to explore the history and social-cultural meanings of warnings, visual representations of warnings, and putting warnings into practice using policy and communication bringing together some fascinating angles of warnings that remain underexplored. Both events attracted delegates online from over 52 nations, and hundreds have already watched the events online via YouTube making the launch events a great success. You can watch both events on our new YouTube channel (please do subscribe):
• UCL WRC Launch event at the UCL Institute of Risk and Disaster Reduction (IRDR) 11th Annual Conferences: Watch Here
• UCL Warning Research Centre Launch Event at STS: Watch Here
We would like to thank all of those members and affiliates who presented as part of the launch or attended the events.We also have two summary reports of the events
Following the launch we have expanded our social media engagement to help share WRC news, activities, warning research and also resources to a wider audience.
• Web: www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/wrc
• Twitter: @UCLWRC
• LinkedIn: UCL Warning Research Centre
• Facebook: UCL Warning Research Centre
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbYlxBtSdO8MCI1y3Op0amQ