This presentation was given at the Esri User Conference (2015) on the Interdisciplinary use of GIS on the Challenging RISK project (UCL and University of Edinburgh) on Earthquake and Fire Preparedness in Seattle, Citizen Science engagement methods, and the interplay of open source and proprietary technologies.
Interdisciplinary GIS Applications in Challenging RISK
1. Interdisciplinary GIS applications in
Challenging RISK
Patrick Rickles & Gretchen Fagg
Extreme Citizen Science Research Group
Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering
6. CHALLENGING RISK
• Citizen Science
• Structural
Engineering (
EQ and Fire)
• Psychology
• Geographic
Information
Science
Improving Preparedness for Earthquake and Fire
Mixed Methods for Changing
Preparedness Behaviour
Over Time
In Seattle, WA and Izmir, Turkey
Interdisciplinary working:
9. GIS Use: Community Engagement
Participatory Design of Mapping Technologies
• Locally Organised and Interested (Citizen Science)
• Workshops to
facilitate bottom-up
approaches
• Address actual
needs
• Create Two-Way
Communication
10. GIS Use: Existing Infrastructures
Mapping Efforts of Government Entities
• Esri Technologies for Data Capture and Analysis
• Top-Down
Approaches
• Barriers to
Communication
• Mixed
Messages
11. Applications Public API Admin + AJAX API
Backend
Authorisation
Model
Web-based
administration
Community Maps
front-end
ArcGIS Online
Client-side
components
Server-side
components
Geokey
17. NEXT STEPS
• Paper prototyping & co-development
of tool with local communities
• Piloting Technologies in Seattle
• Handover of solutions and global
application (Izmir & Osaka)
Despite the fact that this is a Hollywood movie, the reality is that the 'big one' IS on its way - it isn't a matter of IF, but WHEN
Link to the news story about the film and a boost in Emergency kit purchases http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jun/04/san-andreas-california-earthquake-industry
What we know from the risk perception literature is that
People are generally aware of the risk to them from local natural hazards
Some even have a general idea of the types of activities they are supposed to engage in to prepare
Now, I’m not a geographer – I’m a participatory action researcher, so lets get a bit interactive!
Another quick interactive exercise –
Hands up if you have a smoke alarm in your home
Keep your hands up if you have EVER tested it
Tested it in the last year?
Tested it in the last 6 months?
In the last month?
We know from literature AND probably through our own personal experience – Just being aware of the risk doesn’t mean we take action to prepare for it!
Challenging Risk is an interdisciplinary project funded by EPSRC, made of up a team of
Citizen Scientists,
Structural engineers – both EQ and Fire
Psychologists
And GIS researchers
And we’re looking at using mixed methods to improve preparedness behaviours for Earthquake and Fire
OVER TIME
in Seattle, Washington and Izmir, Turkey
I emphasise ‘OVER TIME’ as we’re looking at habit change rather than one-off action change
Other than the fact that I’m at a GIS conference - Natural disasters are geospatial!
Research suggests that members of the public tend to frame risk in a personal way (Dransch et al., 2010) –
Maps can help support the user in considering the risk in a personal AND location-specific context
And they can support users in safely navigating their environment
We’re using GIS in multiple ways, including
Using local tax assessor, census and planning data to better understand and identify neighbourhoods to target for engagement
This image is one of our layers used to reflect data on building age to the sub-neighbourhood level – this matters as Earthquake and fire regulations have been upgraded at different times. In looking at building age, we can get an initial glimpse at what areas may be more 'at risk' based on census, planning and tax assessor data
Using maps as a point of dialogue, and a means to get local people talking about how they define their area and how they navigate the space around them
And finally, what we’re focusing on today: We’ll be using mapping as a digital tool for use in smart phone technology
We’re using GIS in multiple ways, including
Using local tax assessor, census and planning data to better understand and identify neighbourhoods to target for engagement
This image is one of our layers used to reflect data on building age to the sub-neighbourhood level – this matters as Earthquake and fire regulations have been upgraded at different times. In looking at building age, we can get an initial glimpse at what areas may be more 'at risk' based on census, planning and tax assessor data
Using maps as a point of dialogue, and a means to get local people talking about how they define their area and how they navigate the space around them
And finally, what we’re focusing on today: We’ll be using mapping as a digital tool for use in smart phone technology
We’re using GIS in multiple ways, including
Using local tax assessor, census and planning data to better understand and identify neighbourhoods to target for engagement
This image is one of our layers used to reflect data on building age to the sub-neighbourhood level – this matters as Earthquake and fire regulations have been upgraded at different times. In looking at building age, we can get an initial glimpse at what areas may be more 'at risk' based on census, planning and tax assessor data
Using maps as a point of dialogue, and a means to get local people talking about how they define their area and how they navigate the space around them
And finally, what we’re focusing on today: We’ll be using mapping as a digital tool for use in smart phone technology
I actually got this earthquake alert the morning of my GISRUK presentation based on my chosen locations to monitor!
I think it gives us a good example of an app that is using geographic information in an interactive way – the user can move and zoom the map to provide context, but the alert also allows for the user to send ‘I’m Safe’ messages or access the Toolkit with torch, alarm, first aid advice, etc.
Next Steps
Follow-up review is currently underway and aims to be published in the coming months
Paper prototyping & co-development of tool with local communities
Pilot of the app in Seattle
Handover of app to the community to take forward
----- Meeting Notes (15/04/15 23:29) -----
Sitting down in workshops with existing communities of interest - be they bible studies, book clubs or neighbourhood watch groups
Longer term next steps - we will be repeating the process in Turkey and potentially Osaka, so watch this space!
I know this has been a whistlestop tour, but I appreciate your time
Before I forget, I also want to do a shameless plug for my colleague Patrick Rickles, one of the co-authors on this paper. If you’re using GIS in interdisciplinary research, he needs your feedback!
Questions?
Thank you, and please also feel free to come speak with me later if you want to know more about our project in general!