Pre-Forum Day Workshops | Natural Hazards Research Australia Forum 2025

Pre-Forum Day Workshops | Natural Hazards Research Australia Forum 2025

Extra to this year's Natural Hazards Research Australia Forum, we are pleased to offer a series of Pre-Forum Day workshops, which will be held on Tuesday 17 June 2025 at SAFECOM, Adelaide.

This dedicated day presents an exciting opportunity for our First Nations focused researchers to share insights on project progress, as well as explore the integration and application of cross-project outcomes, and our Early and Mid-Career Academics and Practitioners (EMCAP), to engage in meaningful knowledge sharing, build connections, and discuss key topics related to research, practice, and career development. 

First Nations Knowledge Network Day

This day is designed to bring together researchers engaged in Natural Hazards Research Australia’s First Nations-focused research. The gathering will take place over a full day and provide a culturally appropriate space for knowledge sharing, fostering connections and facilitating conversations around the utilisation of cross-project outcomes. Please only select this option if you have received a direct invitation from the Centre through the First Nations Research Network. 

EMCAP Network Day 

This day provides a unique opportunity for early and mid-career academics and practitioners to connect, collaborate and grow. The day will feature engaging networking activities and interactive workshops, to create a dynamic environment for knowledge exchange. Participants will also have the chance to meet the Early- and Mid-Career Academic and Practitioners (EMCAP) Network Executive Committee and fellow EMCAPs to grow their network strengthen ties between research and practice. Please note there is a maximum number of attendees so early registration is encouraged. 

Workshop - Introducing Transformative Scenarios Resources: Strengthening strategies for a climate-ready world

Presenters: Liza Gelt and Rosie Tran

Background: Based on research with senior emergency management experts and leaders in Australia and New Zealand, the Transformative Scenarios resources provide the tools to stress-test your strategic priorities, plans and policies with your Boards and senior executive leadership teams. They are designed to support emergency management and community sector organisations navigate complex, long-term challenges and create opportunities in an ever-changing landscape.

This workshop provides an overview of how to introduce the Transformative Scenarios Resources into your agency or organisation. Whether you are the Strategic Planning Officer, or simply passionate about your organisation being ready for the impacts of climate change, this workshop provides an overview of the Transformative Scenarios process and how you can use the resources to facilitate discussions, guide teams, and ensure the process stays collaborative, inclusive and productive. This session will guide you in your role to bring people together, hold space for open dialogue, and ensure everyone’s input is valued as we plan for an uncertain future.

We will help you to explore Transformative Scenarios resources with your organisation so that you can meaningfully, transform insights into tangible next steps that inspire real change. This includes covering:

• Key messages to share with your organisation about the Transformative Scenarios process and the benefits

• Who the Transformative Scenarios resources are for and what different audiences can expect to get out of the process

• Engagement tactics and activities to assist you to advocate, promote, facilitate and showcase Transformative Scenarios with your organisation.

We look forward to sharing a fun and energetic session with you.

Workshop - Evaluation and Monitoring for Impact: Developing a Framework for Risk Prevention Programs

Community risk prevention programs for natural hazards developing effective measurement.
Presenters: Celeste Young and Professor Roger Jones and other members from the project stakeholder group.

This is workshop is part of the NHRA research program Evaluating and monitoring for impact: developing a framework for risk prevention programs. The purpose of this research is to develop a national monitoring and evaluation framework for risk prevention programs at the community level. This is to support better understanding by practitioners and decision makers of the efficacy of these programs. The workshop provides an opportunity for conference participants to share their knowledge and shape the development of the framework. During this workshop we will present research to date and take participants through two exercises to explore current measurements/ways of measuring opportunities and benefits associated with risk prevention programs at the community level.

This workshop is intended for community representatives, government and agency participants who are interested and passionate about measurement and risk prevention programs.

Workshop - Multi-hazard public information and warning platforms for the future

As part of the T7-A1 Natural Hazards Research Australia funded project Multi-hazard public information and warning platforms for the future, we are calling all public information and warnings, communications, community engagement professionals from across Australia and New Zealand to contribute to the project.

The project is exploring current and changing perceptions and usage of multi-hazard public information and warning platforms amongst Australian communities. The research will focus on usability, comprehension, and accessibility for all communities

We are running this hybrid session to facilitate your input in a systematic review of research in this domain.

We are aiming to capture any unpublished, grey literature, market research that your organisation has undertaken about the design, dissemination, and use of multi-hazard platforms in your communities.

We are interested in any research that might address any of the following areas:

• Whether, and under what conditions, these platforms empower people to act through knowledge or overwhelm users with too much information, including both text-based and visual/map-based information.

• How AWS calls to action are received and understood by platform users, including when calls to action for multiple hazards are communicated on these platforms concurrently for the same geographic area.

• How AWS warnings, BoM weather warnings and AFDRS information are received, understood and used by communities in interaction with each other.

• The extent of the community reach of warnings issued through these platforms during minor (e.g. tree over road) and major (flooding, bushfire) events.

• How platforms fit into and interact with pre-existing informal warnings sharing tools (e.g. phone trees, social media).

• How warnings can effectively be displayed in third-party platforms that communities already use as part of advanced multi-channel communication approaches (i.e. explore the intersection with ‘big tech’ platforms (e.g. Google Crisis Alerts, https://crisisresponse.google/forecasting-and-alerts/

• How community engagement and community education before hazard events occur can support community comprehension of hazard risk and warning information shared via these platforms.

• Investigation into projected future community communication preferences and how they might be implemented into these platforms (e.g. AI technology).

As part of this session, the project team will also share insights gathered from published research and encourage comments on the findings to date.