Victorian Disaster Research Forum

Bringing together Victoria's impact-focused disaster and natural hazards research capabilities across multiple universities

Victoria's research capabilities present unique opportunities for innovation in responding to Victoria's unique combinations of natural hazards, climate, and community risks. Helping to realise these opportunities, the Victorian Disaster Research Forum aims to better connect and coordinate disaster researchers across Victoria's universities, with the goal of:

  • reducing the barriers to innovation,
  • growing disaster research impact, and
  • better translating research findings into practical disaster resilience and emergency management and recovery applications.

This one-day free and in-person forum at the RMIT Kaleide Theatre aims to bring together Victoria's multiple perspectives and multiple research disciplines as the start of an emerging network of interdisciplinary disaster researchers across Victoria's universities, called the VDRA (Victorian Disaster Research Alliance). The VDRA aims to assist Victorian researchers to grow and diversify pathways to impact, and ultimately to help address Victoria's unique innovation needs for disaster resilience and natural hazards research. 

Who should attend?

The Forum is open to all researchers in Victoria with interests in natural hazards and disaster-related research, as well as to practitioners who want to shape an applied disaster research agenda for Victoria.

Program outline

Session 1: 9:30am – 10:30am 

  • 9:00am: Registration opens
  • 9:30am: Opening and Welcome
  • 9:45am: Opening Keynote from Prof Cheryl Desha, NHRA Science and Innovation Director
  • 10:30: Morning tea and networking

Session 2: 11:00am – 12:30pm 

  • 11:00am: Session 2 opening
  • 11:10am: University disaster research capability lightning talks from across Victorian universities
  • 12:30pm: Lunch (provided) and networking

Session 3: 1:15pm – 3:30pm

  • 1:15pm: Practitioner keynote from Andrew Coughlan, Head of Emergency Services at Australian Red Cross
  • 2:15pm: Panel discussion, with facilitated participant interaction, panelists tbc
  • 3:00pm: Summary, planning and next steps
  • 3:30pm: Close and networking

View the Program and event details in this flyer (PDF 645 KB).

Get involved

We are actively seeking images, short videos, and other media from the Victorian disaster research community to showcase in the breaks and networking sessions.

If you would like to contribute your visual content, please check the registration form for more information on how to submit your content. We welcome visual content from all Victorian researchers, even if you aren't able to attend the forum.

Contact

This VDRA initiative brings together researchers from across Victoria's university research sector, led in collaboration between the RMIT Enabling Impact Platforms and the Swinburne Innovative Planet Research Institute.

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

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aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.

More information