Hazard Risk Resilience Magazine Volume 1 Issue 2 | Page 62

harnessing the capacity of researchers from across Durham University to make a difference to how we live with emerging hazards and risks. IHRR is a nerve centre for innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to hazard and risk research in the UK and throughout the world. We are championing key research programmes in hazards, vulnerability and resilience. The Institute operates through a growing array of research projects and externally-funded fellowships. It is involved in policy engagement in risk and Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience Durham University, Mountjoy Centre, hazard debates across much of the globe, strategy South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK www.durham.ac.uk/ihrr development with industry and wider stakeholders and also research consultancy. Our research aims to improve human responses to both age-old hazards such as volcanoes, earthquakes, landslides and floods as well as the new and The Institute of Hazard, Risk risks Resilience change, surveillance, terror,aims to improveemerging technologies. It also focuses uncertain and of climate consultancy. Our research banking and human resilience to geohazards such as (IHRR) supports the capacity of researchers of hazard, risk and vulnerability in the developing world. The Institute aims to develop particularly on the nature volcanoes, and risk. By adopting an approach which directly engages policymakers, from across Durham Universityinsight with regard to hazard earthquakes, landslides and radical new to make a local communities and floods as well as those associated with difference to how we live with emerging other appropriate stakeholders in the co-production of knowledge, the Institute aims to to increase social capacity financial crises hazards and risks. develop innovative policy and climate change, terrorism,for reducing vulnerability and harm. IHRR is a nerve centre and use of modern technologies. It focuses for innovative, interdisciplinary approaches particularly on the nature of hazard, risk and to hazard and risk Focus in the UK and research The Institute is developing three areas of in the developing interdisciplinary research, allowing problems to be vulnerability activity through world as well throughout the world. We are championing framed in hazards, as theoretical approaches Institute aims to key research programmes in different ways and new developed regions. Theand understandings to be developed in relation to existing problems. develop radical new insight with regard to vulnerability and resilience. The Institute operates through aHazards: howof research produced,and risk. By environmental hazards and notably landslides, floods, droughts, growing array hazards are hazard particularly adopting an approach volcanoes, sea level which directly engages policymakers, local projects and fellowships with significant rise and earthquakes; but also hazards that emerge in surprising ways, such as socio-technological and financial hazards. and other stakeholders in the communities external funding from UK Research Councils Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience Institute of H Science Site, www.dur.ac.uk Vulnerabilities and Resilience: the vulnerabilities and resilience of communities that have to live with co-production of knowledge, the Institute and other major grant awards and donations. hazards, notably those aims to develop innovative policy from It is involved in policy engagement in risk communities whose vulnerabilities arise and poverty, changes in life course and social isolation, and where these in isolation and combination reduce resilience. to increase social capacity for reducing and hazard debates across much of the Frontier with industry vulnerability and ways globe, strategy development Knowledge: innovative and creative harm.of learning to live with the pervasive nature of hazard and risk, and also research and wider stakeholders through new ways of risk learning, new forms of risk sharing and new ways of risk forecasting. Examples of Current Research Activities Landslides: Exploring both the spatial and temporal distribution of responses to both landslides, and the impacts that they cause (Figure 1). age-old hazards such as volc Focus Examples ofuncertain risks Secondary Hazards: Examining the controls oncurrentearthquake of climate change, surveillan secondary phenomena, particularly landslides and river basin changes, in space and particularly on the research to explore ways these hazards nature of hazard, risk and v activities The Institute is developing three areas time, while collaborating with social scientists of activity through affect communities in developing countries in orderradical new insight with regard to hazard and r interdisciplinary to build resilience. Landslides: exploring both the spatial and research, allowing Climate to be framed Understanding the diverse array of influences pro