September Newsletter

Welcome

Dear Network Members,

In the September edition of the FCERM Network newsletter, we bring you news and events from the flood and coastal erosion risk management community, as well as a fantastic selection of member publications.

We also bring you this month's In Perspective blog which has been written by Dr. Nick Mount of Nottingham University.  In this short article Nick explores the idea that one the greatest influences on flood risk is actually people and their behaviour.  He argues that understanding these complex human considerations requires expertise from social scientists, behavioural psychologists, marketing specialists and so on, and may herald significant changes in the way we fund and build research teams.  In this month's article he asks the fundamental question – is it time to redefine ‘who’ we involve in FCERM research?

Read the blog

News from the FCERM Community

Prof. Garry Pender chairs special session at River Flow 2014

Many FCERM network members made the journey to Lausanne in Switzerland for this year's Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics, River Flow2014.   The focus of the conference this year was the interaction between water, sediments and structures in natural or built environments.  Garry Pender, Director of FCERM.net was invited to chair a session on  "River monitoring and remote sensing methods" at the event.  Professor Pender said

“Developments remotely sensed data provide an exciting opportunity to collect flood data over a large spatial extent. Once the research methods mature the will facilitate data collection that will significantly enhance computer model calibration and validation.”  

Environment Agency Launch Working with Natural Process R&D Framework

The Environment Agency have just published a Working with Natural Process research and development framework. The framework identifies research projects which need to be undertaken to help Flood Risk Management Authorities deliver flood risk management sustainably, improving the environment for people and wildlife. Read more....

JBA Consulting collaborate with Newcastle University on Surface Water Flood Maps Project

Newcastle-upon-Tyne flooded on 28 June 2012 during intense summer storms. Newcastle University collected evidence about the depth of flood water in the city and this unique data set allowed us to test models for surface water flooding. Read More...

Events

Promoting Health and Wellbeing in Our Changing Environment

Thursday 25 September 10.00-4pm, Glasgow

The Living With Environmental Change (LWEC) Partnership 2014 Health Conference will bring together leading UK researchers, practitioners and policy professionals who are working on environmental change and health research, including the impacts of flooding on wellbeing. More information

Early Career Researcher Events: Infrastructure Resilience

ARCC are delivering a  lunchtime webinar with Tom Sutton, who works on infrastructure resilience in the Cabinet Office on Wednesday 17 September at 12.30pm.

Tom will reflect on his experience as a policy advisor to provide insight into how research and evidence can be used in decision-making, and offer advice on how researchers can work with policymakers to ensure that their evidence is relevant, timely and useful. More information

'Understanding Uncertainty in Environmental Modelling' workshops 2014-15

Monday, 22nd September 2014 to Wednesday, 24th September 2014, London.
Providing an overview of model evaluation methods, statistical inference for model output, and the use of models in risk management and decision-making. Workshops focus on environmental modelling and encouraging critical evaluation of the approaches and methodologies used in their own research. More information...

FCERM Infrastructure Management and Performance (iMaP)

Scoping of a major new research initiative - Invitation to Express Interest in attending a Research Development Workshop

Introduction
The Environment Agency have commissioned Paul Sayers and Prof Jim Hall to scope a significant programme of world leading research to provide a new, richer, understanding of infrastructure performance and how to manage infrastructure systems efficiently and effectively.
 
iMAP is not an ordinary project.  We are looking to actively engage leading practitioners within Local Authorities, Environment Agency, SEPA, NRW, Rivers Agency and consultancy together with the best academics to co-develop a programme of innovative and transformative research.
 
It is anticipated that the scoping study will lead to a major cross-council research submission early in 2015.

Focus of this invitation
We are now looking for academics and practitioners to attend a Research Development Workshop on 9 October 2014 in Oxford.  The workshop will act to formulate and synthesise ideas into a series of work packages with a view to submitting a coherent cross council research bid in early 2015. Both NERC and EPSRC are keen to see this submission and the input already secured from the Environment Agency demonstrates commitment from end users to ensure research impact and practical outputs. 
 
If you have a passion for (and understanding of) asset management, a collaborative attitude and the ability to make an extraordinary contribution to the iMAP research and/or its take-up we would like to hear from you.

How to apply to attend the Workshop
An application form (and background information) is available on-line at Paul Sayers and Partners 
 
We are not looking for 'formed' research ideas or project teams; we are looking for individual people capable of challenging the status quo and identifying innovative research with a line of sight to practice.  Most of all, we are looking for people willing and able to contribute openly and positively to the development of the research.
 
Closing date for EOI submission:  29 August 2014
Notification of decisions: 19 September 2014
 
For further information please email: 
Paul Sayers (paul.sayers@ouce.ox.ac.uk or paul.sayers@sayersandpartners.co.uk)
Andy Moores (andy.moores@environment-agency.gov.uk)

Opportunities

Required: Case Studies on Disaster Risk Reduction

Public Health England are seeking case studies about how science has been used around the world to support disaster risk reduction policy and practice. Further information about this request is provided below. Please contact Virginia Murray (Virginia.Murray@phe.gov.uk). The deadline for case studies is 30th September 2014.  More Information

Analysts – Flood Risk Management

Exeter, Newport

JBA Consulting are looking for enthusiastic and capable Analysts to support the growth of our teams based in our Exeter and Newport offices.  We are particularly interested to hear from those with experience and interest in the areas hydraulic modelling, local flood risk management, and flood scheme appraisal and design. Applicants should have a relevant degree(s) in Geography, environmental management, or engineering and will have a good technical background with at least three years relevant experience. More information...

 

 

Hydraulic Model Developer

Skipton, North Yorkshire

JBA Consulting are seeking a Hydraulic Model Developer to work on the continued development of JFlow, our two-dimensional flow routing model. This would suit a Masters or PhD graduate in the engineering, mathematics or environmental sciences with a numerical background, knowledge of the two-dimensional shallow water equations and experience in parallel computing http://www.jbaconsulting.com/careers/RSK14-01/Skipton

 

 

Publications

  • Allen D, Arthur S, Wallis S. G, Haynes H, Wallerstein, N. Influences and drivers of woody debris movement in urban watercourses. Science China Technological Sciences 2014, 57 (8) 1512-1521.
  • Lawson E and the Blue-Green Cities team. Delivering and evaluating the multiple flood risk benefits in Blue-Green Cities; an interdisciplinary approach. Flood Recovery Innovation and Response 2014, WIT Press. Download for free
  • Everett G and Lamond J. A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Behaviours and Attitudes Around ‘Blue-Green’ Approaches to Flood-Risk Management. Flood Recovery Innovation and Response 2014, WIT Press.
  • Wilkinson S, Rose C, Glenis V,  and Lamond J. Modelling green roof retrofit in the Melbourne Central Business District. Flood Recovery Innovation and Response 2014, WIT Press.
  • G. Coates, G. I. Hawe, N. G. Wright & S. Ahilan. Agent-based modelling and inundation prediction to enable the identification of businesses affected by flooding. Flood Recovery Innovation and Response 2014, WIT Press.

Your news wanted!

If you have a news item, event or publication you would like us to circulate to the FCERM community, please email your brief text with a headline and a high resolution photograph to c.morgan@hw.ac.uk - title your email NEWS!

We hope you found the September newsletter informative!

The FCERM.net Team