[UK] Ideas Factory: Coping With Extreme Weather Events - EPRSC
Climate change is already happening – as the Stern Report on the Economics of Climate Change identifies, even if we could stop all greenhouse gas emissions tomorrow our climate would continue to change due to global warming driven by over a century of manmade emissions. As a consequence, the risk of extreme weather events such as flooding, heatwaves and storms will continue to increase over the next half century. Today’s extremes will become tomorrow’s norms.
Whilst research is being undertaken into many aspects of weather events - for example prediction, warning systems, infrastructure effects, health effects, disaster reaction - there is no common forum to look at how science and engineering can improve society’s ability to cope with extreme weather events which have systemic effects.
The engineering and physical science research community working with colleagues in other research areas, such as the economic, social and environmental sciences can gain a better understanding of the effects of extreme weather events and devise innovative and coherent solutions.
A Sandpit for Ideas
The concept of the Ideas Factory is to organise interactive workshops (sandpits) on particular topics, involving 20-25 participants. The focus for this sandpit is to explore long term strategies for coping with extreme weather events.
Topics may include:
- Analysis of the impact of extreme weather events on infrastructure and human health.
- Requirements for infrastructure tolerance to extreme weather events.
- Prediction methods and impact modelling with a focus on multidisciplinary research; early warning systems.
- New building/structure design systems to cope with extreme weather demands.
- Analysis of existing public buildings/structures to assess weather risk.
- River flood alleviation and coastal flooding analysis; urban flooding prevention planning.
- Issues surrounding uptake - how can engineering offer solutions that will be acted on?
- Emerging challenges in the area of adaptation to extreme weather events.
Impact of extreme weather events on the energy infrastructure.
EPSRC has allocated £1.5 million to fund research projects arising from the sandpit. These research proposals will contain genuinely novel and adventurous approaches that address the problem of coping with extreme weather events.
How the Sandpit Works
The sandpit is an intensive discussion forum where free-thinking is encouraged in order to delve deep into the problems on the agenda and uncover innovative solutions. Each sandpit will be led by a Director, whose role will be to define the topic and facilitate discussions at the sandpit event. This sandpit will be led by Jane Milne of the Association of British Insurers
The process can be broken down into several stages:
- Defining the scope of the problem.
- Agreeing a common language and terminology amongst people from a very diverse range of backgrounds and disciplines.
- Sharing understanding of the problem domain, and the expertise brought by the participants to the sandpit.
- Taking part in break-out sessions focused on the problem domain, using creative and innovative thinking techniques.
- Capturing the outputs in the form of highly innovative research projects.
The sandpit will be an intensive 5 day event (to be held over two sessions: 3 days followed by 2 days). For the well-being of participants, the venue will offer opportunities for relaxation, and the timetable will include informal networking activities as a break from the detailed technical discussions. The Director and a small number of mentors and stakeholders will take full part in the sandpit, but will not be eligible to receive research funding, and so will act as impartial referees in the process.
Who Should Attend?
Having the right mix of participants determines the success or failure of these events. We need people from a range of disciplines and backgrounds and they will need to have the right mix of personal attributes. Participants are welcomed at any stage of their research career.
Examples of disciplines and research areas that could be potential contributors include:
- Architecture
- Government Planning
- Behavioural
- Science & Economics
- Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering
- Biology Management Of Information Systems
- Built Environment
- Mechanical Engineering
- Civil Engineering Modelling
- Climate Change
- Oceanography
- Complex Systems
- Psychology of Uptake
- Ecology
- Risk Management
- Emergency Response
- Socio-technical systems
- Environmental Engineering
- Transport Planning
- Flood Risk
- Weather Prediction
- Geography
The above list is by no means exhaustive, expertise is required from a very broad range of disciplines, and applicants should not feel limited by conventional perceptions: the whole IDEAS Factory approach is about bringing together people who would not normally interact. Applicants do not need to have any prior knowledge of the problem domain, but will need to demonstrate an enthusiasm for working at the interface between disciplines. We actively encourage people to apply that are experts in their own research areas but have not yet applied it in this context. We are looking for people who can bring new thinking to an existing problem.
Outcomes from the Sandpit
The exact nature, scope and definition of the outcomes will of course, be determined by the participants at the sandpit. However, it is likely (and desirable) that research ideas will be identified which have their centre of gravity within the EPSRC remit, but which extend into other domains. Strict research council `remit boundaries` will not apply.
Location and Date
This sandpit will be held over two sessions, 18-20 April (3 days) followed by 10-11 May (2 days). Participants must attend all 5 days. It will be fully residential and held in the UK. Participants’ accommodation costs will be met, but please note participants are expected to pay for their own travel to and from the venue. An application will be taken to mean availability for all five days and a commitment to attend. The sandpit will provide an environment to encourage free and open-minded thinking, vital for the purposes of this event and of the IDEAS Factory. Full details of the venue, how to get there and the accommodation arrangements will be sent to participants.
Applying to Participate in the Sandpit
Applications are invited from individual academic researchers who feel that they can contribute to the problem domain. Up to 25 participants will be identified to take part in the sandpit.
Applicants should complete the short application form (maximum two sides). Your answers to these questions will be used to assess your application and convince us that you have suitable skills and attitude to participate in the sandpit event. We are not looking for your academic publication or research track record but rather how you might approach multi-disciplinary problems in a novel area.
The deadline for applications is Wednesday 7 March 2007.
Applications should be submitted electronically to ideas@epsrc.ac.uk by 7 March 2007. Please include “Extreme Weather Events†in the subject field.
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