Information on inTERRAgate

Lucy Stanbrough, of the Benfield UCL Hazard Research Centre, has contacted us about the inTERRAgate project. The aim of this new project is to provide "A framework for uploading natural hazard and risk data at a national level, together with in-country contact details for disaster first-responders".

Lucy writes: "InTERRAgate was launched in March 2007, with introductory information on natural hazard threats in ten of the world’s most vulnerable nations (Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Chile, El Salvador, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Mexico and the Philippines). Like the online encyclopaedia, Wikipedia, inTERRAgate is designed to be ‘owned’ by data suppliers and users, who are able to upload information and influence content. Its ultimate success will, therefore, depend upon registered data suppliers from around the world uploading textual and graphical information to supplement initial data and to expand the country portfolio.


Basic in-country contact information, targeted at disaster first responders and other appropriate national and international NGOs, is available for some of the aforementioned ten countries, and will be supplemented by inTERRAgate editorial staff in the next few months. Access to some content is unrestricted, however users can gain access to further content and gain permission to submit or edit hazard information by signing up online for a free account.

inTERRAgate is "looking for further project sponsors and data sources to provide users with the most extensive information network available in order to make informed decisions". As such, they are willing to include services or links that you feel might be useful to the project.

For more information, sign up for an account at their website. If you want to submit information to the project, you can contact Tina Hyde at t.hyde@ucl.ac.uk or Lucy at l.stanbrough@ucl.ac.uk

They are looking for "anything and everything natural hazard related", which means that the information they gather will be quite useful to YPDR members. As Lucy notes, "if you have a favourite selection of links you use to find information then share them with the community and help others".

A colleague suggested to me that YPDR members might be interested in the work of the SPIDER Network. The network, a collaborative effort between various Universities and research institituions), "have been working together to re-evaluate the role of science in disaster risk management".
They are putting together a series of meetings this summer. For more information, their website is available at www.spidernetwork.org

MARCH UPDATE

We have recently sent out an email with our 'March Update'. Please let me know if you haven't received your copy, or if you would like to be added to our mailing list!

I am pleased to announce that the Young Professionals for Disaster Reduction (YPDR) Network has been invited to work closely with the International Disaster Reduction Conference (IDRC). The IDRC has kindly offered us support and guidance on creating our network – including an online platform – to further our mandate on a global level. It is hoped this partnership will allow both the YPDR and IDRC to further develop the effectiveness of their work. For more
information on the IDRC, please go to: www.idrc.info

Over the next three months we will be creating a clear structure for our website – we welcome you to submit ideas to us of what content you would like to see on the site, any organizations, contacts, internships, or programs that you feel would be good to be linked to YPDR, and we encourage you to circulate this email to your networks, students, colleagues, departments, organizations and other interested individuals.

We hope to send out a draft of what the site will hold for YPDR by June 2007. Once we have heard back from you on your perspectives on the site, we hope to have this online tool launched and running by August 2007. This site will hold information on current publications, job, internship and academic opportunities, relevant upcoming conferences and meetings, and links to other online resources. After this date, we will be expanding the site by adding an online network to allow all of our members to more effectively share information, chat about experiences, research and programs, engage in debates and dialogues on relevant issues, and meet other members.

Thanks for your support!

The deadline for submissions to the UNISDR Informs publications is now March 30th 2007. These publications are interesting and informative compilations of ideas, experiences, and sometimes offer information on events, etc.

You can see past issues online, and get more information on the types of submissions that are wanted (this issue will have a strong section on Education) at: www.unisdr.org/asiapacific

The UNISDR is looking for contributions to their compilation of Good Practices and Lessons Learned on Community-based Disaster Risk Reduction. The deadline for submissions is quite close -- it closes on Friday, 9 March 2007.


If you have community-level disaster risk reduction insights, contact Michele Cocchiglia, the NGO Liason Officer for the UN/ISDR at: cocchiglia@un.org or through their website at: www.unisdr.org

The 17th World Conference on Disaster Management is going to be held on July 8-11, 2007, in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

For more information on this conference, please find further information at:

http://www.wcdm.org/

BSHF (Building and Social Housing Foundation, UK) is inviting applications for travel bursary to visit Aga Khan Planning and BuildingService Pakistan World Habitat Award 2006 winning project Building andConstruction Improvement Program BACIP) in May 2007, in Northern Areasof Pakistan.

While BSH may send you a separate mail to inform of this opportunity,you may also get further details of the award/visit and apply for theBursary on line at www.bshf.org in the meantime, if interested.

Note that the deadline for this application is February 16th!