Webcast series to build community resilience amid pandemic

A free webcast series focusing on disaster, emergency management and community resilience will be run by Charles Darwin University’s Northern Institute starting this week.

The webcast series, named “Don’t Panic”, will draw on the Northern Institute’s research expertise to provide useful facts and perspectives from experts in the emergency management, risk and resilience, mitigation, response and recovery fields.

The first webcast will be held tomorrow (Thursday, 26 March), and features Deakin University’s Gerard Finnigan.

Mr Finnigan, an IKEA Foundation Humanitarian Leadership Scholar, will present an analysis of the critical challenges for the global health and disaster risk reduction sectors in the face of unprecedented humanitarian demand.

Director of the Northern Institute and Dean of the College of Indigenous Futures, Arts and Society, Professor Ruth Wallace said the webcast series would deliver relevant and accessible information to community members amid the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“At a time of much uncertainty, these seminars aim to provide factual perspectives and information from key experts,” Professor Wallace said.

“Our aim is to keep our community informed, reassured and prepared. We hope the webcasts will help to answer people’s questions, deliver the facts and provide relevant information to help our communities remain resilient at this challenging time,” she said.

The webcasts will be held weekly, starting on Thursday, 26 March from 10.30am to 11.30am (ACDT).

To find out more follow the Northern institute on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NorthernInstitute

Upcoming webcasts:

26 March 10.30am – 11.30am

Gerard Finnigan (Deakin University)

IKEA Foundation Humanitarian Leadership Scholar

PhD topic: preventing premature mortality from natural disasters

“Death, disasters and COVID19 – the hidden emergency for global health and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) sectors to confront”

2 April 10.30am – 11.30am

Dr Jonatan Lassa

Senior Lecturer - Emergency and Disaster Management

“Crisis Leadership from around the world: a brief reflection on COVID-19 pandemic”.

9 April 10.30 - 11.30am

Associate Professor Akhilesh Surjan

Research and Theme Leader - Humanitarian Response and Disaster Management Studies

“Disaster-environment-climate risk reduction in a rapidly urbanising world”

16 April 10.30 - 11.30am

Miranda Booth

Lecturer in Humanitarian, Emergency in Disaster Management Studies

PhD topic: Effective Foreign Military Engagement in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief: Australia in the South Pacific

“Crisis and Complacency: Why the cycle must stop with COVID-19”

 
23 April 10.30 - 11.30am

Dr Michaela Spencer - Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Indigenous Knowledge and Governance

Yasunori Hayashi - Lecturer in Indigenous Knowledges - Yolŋu Studies

Gawura Wanambi - Senior Lecturer in Aboriginal Studies

Joy Bulkanhawuy - Senior Lecturer in Aboriginal Studies

"From cyclones to COVID-19: Disaster management from an Yolŋu perspective"