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GADRI Membership Application Form

Name ofCharles Darwin University

Institute:
Address:

Ellengowan Drive, Darwin, Northern Territory 0810, Australia

Contact:

Dr. Akhilesh Surjan

Title:

Associate Professor / Research and Theme Leader-HEDM Program

Institute

https://www.cdu.edu.au/study/humanitarian-emergency-disaster-managem

webentaddress:
Institute webpage URL: https://www.cdu.edu.au/
Institute Outline:
The Humanitarian, Emergency and Disaster Management Studies (HEDM) program at theCharles Darwin University (CDU) delivers advanced, globally competitive knowledge andpractical skills to students from a wide range of professional and academic backgrounds.
The program is situated at the door-step of the Asia-Pacific, the most disaster-prone
region in the world.

Through our degree programs and research, students learn how to approach disaster,emergency and community risks holistically. Teaching is informed by CDU’s strong
relationships with nationally and internationally respected industry and research partners.
Interactive lectures are delivered by some of the world’s leading experts in the discipline.
Most of the courses are available in-campus and online.
HEDM offers an interdisciplinary research program that deals with human dimensions ofnatural hazards, disaster and environmental risks and climate change adaptation. The
potential research supervisors are world-class scholars in their field of research. Higher
Degree by Research (HDR) at the Charles Darwin University covers the degrees of Masters
by Research (MRes) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). HDR students engage in a supervised16 January 2024/WJ/2

research project that demonstrates their ability to make a contribution to knowledge in achosen field of study.

Research Interests (areas of research disciplines, number of faculty members, etc.):
Our programs often geographically focus on Australia and the Asia-Pacific, which areseverely affected by disasters due to hazards ranging from hydrological, meteorological,
climatological, geological, biological and technological (man-made). As a Higher Degreeby Research (HDR) student, one can choose from a wide range of topics to research,
including cross-cutting themes of social-economical-political dimensions of risk,
vulnerabilities and capacities of different communities, regions, cultures and governancesystems; traditional and Indigenous knowledge; participatory approaches and role ofmedia, advocacy and communication, to name a few.
Prospective students and collaborators are encouraged to discuss their specific area ofinterest or topic of inquiry. Some of our ongoing research interests are listed below and weare always open to discuss new research ideas:•

Australian disaster management policy reform•

COVID-19: Linking emergency services and health epidemics•

Disaster risk governance and decentralization in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region•

Humanitarian, emergency and disaster risk management ecosystems•

Disaster risk reduction and resilience in human settlements•

Crisis and disaster communication strategy in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region•

Enhancing disaster policy and decision making•

Governing early warning systems•

Public health emergencies and linkages with emergency and disaster management•

Role of volunteers and non-government organizations in disaster risk reduction•

Governing climate change adaptation in urban / rural settings as well as agriculture
and livestock sectors•

Institutional and governance dimension of managing risk, natural hazards and climate
extreme events including floods, droughts and heat waves.

•Long-term observation of community-based and/or community-led disaster risk
management practices in Asia-Pacific region•

Seismic culture and other disaster sub-culture in Asia-Pacific region

16 January 2024/WJ/3•

Social and economic dimension of natural hazards and disasters•

Social network analysis and disaster studies•

Strengthening Community Resilience to geohazards and climate hazards•

Understanding long-term recovery trends in Australia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific[at >30 years timescale]
Key CDU experts are:•Dr. Akhilesh Surjan, Associate Professor:
https://www.cdu.edu.au/research-and-innovation/higher-degree-research/find-super
visor/disaster-mgmt/associate-professor-akhilesh-surjan, Email:akhilesh.surjan@cdu.edu.au•

Dr. Jonatan A. Lassa, Senior Lecturer:
https://www.cdu.edu.au/research-and-innovation/higher-degree-research/find-super
visor/disaster-mgmt/dr-jonatan-lassa; Email: jonatan.lassa@cdu.edu.au•

Dr. Rodney Eksteen, Lecturer:
https://researchers.cdu.edu.au/en/persons/rodney-eksteen , Email:rodney.eksteen@cdu.edu.au•

Dr. Kamaljit Sangha, Associate Professor:
https://www.cdu.edu.au/research-and-innovation/higher-degree-research/find-super
visor/environment/associate-professor-kamaljit-k-sangha , Email:kamaljit.sangha@cdu.edu.au•

Dr. Kerstin Zander, Professor:
https://researchers.cdu.edu.au/en/persons/kerstin-zander, Email:kerstin.zander@cdu.edu.au•

Dr. Matthew Abunyewah, Lecturer:
https://researchers.cdu.edu.au/en/persons/matthew-abunyewah, Email:matthew.abunyewah@cdu.edu.au•

Dr. Andrew Edwards, Senior Research Fellow:
https://www.cdu.edu.au/research-and-innovation/higher-degree-research/find-super
visor/environment/dr-andrew-edwards, Email: andrew.edwards@cdu.edu.au•

Dr. Rohan Fisher, Research Officer:
https://researchers.cdu.edu.au/en/persons/rohan-fisher , Email:rohan.fisher@cdu.edu.au•

Dr. Deepika Mathur, Senior Research Fellow:
https://researchers.cdu.edu.au/en/persons/deepika-mathur, Email:deepika.mathur@cdu.edu.au•

Dr. Jeremy Russell-Smith, Professor:
https://researchers.cdu.edu.au/en/persons/jeremy-russell-smith, Email:
Jeremy.Russell-Smith@cdu.edu.au

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A brief description of Research Achievements and Challenges:
The HEDM program of CDU delivers comprehensive knowledge of crisis events andcurrent frameworks and best practice in domestic and international response. Students
and researchers have the capacity to synthesize and operate in both national andoverseas emergency events appropriately, collaboratively, and productively.
The HEDM program specializes in current approaches to Emergency and Disaster
Management in the Asia-Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand. Concepts including
vulnerability, risk, resilience, disaster management, humanitarian assistance, risk
governance are defined and applied to the Asia-Pacific. The specific needs of vulnerable
groups in emergencies are identified, along with the different technical areas of operation
required to respond to these needs, in alignment with regional compliance frameworks. Knowledgeof initial and rapid needs assessment, and Post-Disaster Needs Assessment processes and tools is
also gained.

Leadership in humanitarian assistance and disaster management is central to theprogram. The principles and structures of emergency cells and coordination mechanisms
in both Australia and the region; different national frameworks for emergency and disastermanagement; regional agreements, and regional and international governanceframeworks for emergency and disaster practice are explained. Techniques and protocols
for effective leadership, communication, interrelationships, and cross-sector cooperation
are built via participation in case-based scenarios. Crucial aspects of crisis leadership are
analyzed through diagnostic study of black swan events in domestic and internationalsettings.
Emergency and disaster management is situated within multiple social, political,religious, and cultural contexts. Different codes of practice and ethical considerations forhumanitarian response in East and South-East Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and thePacific Islands exists. The important role of regional organizations such as ASEAN, SAARC,Pacific Islands Forum, international non-governmental organizations, humanitarian actors
and aid providers, local, provincial, and national governments is elaborated for effective
coordination and appropriate response.
The HEDM program has a strong history of delivering on-the-ground scenarios in an
intensive two-week format. Exercises have been delivered in partnership with industry,
have involved people from diverse cultures and have been delivered across CDU’s
network of Northern Territory campuses.
Interdisciplinary aspects of humanitarian response and disaster relief are highlighted within-depth case studies from Australian bushfires, floods, cyclones as well as internationalcase studies from other parts of the world. Natural hazards and human induced disasters

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often requires greater understanding of cross cutting themes and sectors such as business continuity planning, resilience of islands and remote communities,
community-based indigenous, traditional and modern knowledge on disaster risk
reduction, differential disasters impacts on marginalized populations, genders, children,
private sector, lifeline infrastructure and services, conflicts or climate induced forced orvoluntary migration and stakeholder engagement. Critical understanding on these topics
is made relevant by case-methods and problem-based learning.

Comparative advantage/contribution to GADRI Activities:
CDU’s HEDM program provides a comprehensive understanding that enhances thecapacity of students to use knowledge appropriately, collaboratively and productively invulnerable regions of the world. It creates a solid foundation that enables students totranslate academic developments into practical responses and translates professional
experience into the academic sphere of this rapidly evolving sector. This is an in-depth andcomprehensive research program encompassing uniqueness by way of (i) focus on
Australia and Asia-Pacific Region; (ii) informed by practice and research; and (iii)
multi-sectoral approach. CDU is actively seeking partnership with GADRI members towork productively in the areas of mutual interest.
Expected Outputs/Results: