Themes

At the Global Disaster Resilience Centre (GDRC), we promote different categories of research:

• Applied research (is original work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge with a specific application in view)
• Basic research (directed toward greater knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of phenomena)
• Blue sky research (scientific research in domains where "real-world" applications are not immediately apparent)
• Practice research (a form of academic research which incorporates an element of practice in the methodology or research output)
• Experimental Development (Systematic work, using existing knowledge gained from research or practical experience for the purpose of creating new or improved products/processes)

The Centre’s expertise includes (but is not limited to):

• Disaster resilience from the perspective of the social/political, economic and physical sciences, and across national boundaries
• Critical social, economic, and physical factors that enable a system, community or society potentially exposed to hazards to maintain an acceptable level of functioning and structure
• Action-orientated metrics and underpinning data standards associated with resilience to natural hazards
• New mechanisms to input planning and designing solutions that help create a resilient community
• Understanding disaster risk
• Development of innovative national and local policies and practices for disaster risk management
• Strengthening governance to manage disaster risk
• Preparedness for response, recovery and reconstruction – “Build Back Better”
• Early warning and preparedness systems
• Contingency planning and resource management
• Private sector engagement in the development of disaster resilience
• Business cases for investment in disaster resilience
• Public private partnerships in disaster risk reduction
• Capacity building for disaster mitigation and reconstruction
• Project management for disaster mitigation and reconstruction
• Risk management and sustainability
• Post-conflict reconstruction
• Stakeholder management and corporate social responsibility
• Community engagement and participation in reconstruction
• Social impact of reconstruction
• Empowerment of women and other vulnerable groups
• Role of women in mitigating and managing disasters
• Knowledge management and integration
• Disaster waste management
• Public policy, governance and procurement
• Improved disaster resilience through social media interaction
• Community maturity for improved disaster resilience