Natural hazards researchers are meeting in Wellington today to discuss the challenges they face when communicating with the media and wider public during disasters.

Communicating vital information to the public during disasters is an essential, but sometimes daunting, responsibility for scientists and engineers. 

'The Media, Disasters and the Public' workshop underway in Wellington today is covering a range of practical and research-based insights into effective science communication for different audiences, including media and members of the public.

 

Ahead of the event, Massey University PhD student and workshop co-organiser Sara McBride noted it was the first event of its kind in New Zealand.

"In the last five years, we've had an intense period of scientific communication with the Canterbury earthquakes, Cyclone Lusi and Ita, Cook Strait earthquakes, and re-awakening of Tongariro," said Ms McBride.

"There have been a lot of lessons learned through these events and this workshop is about linking our scientists who have to communicate in a crisis with our communications and psychology researchers as well as journalists who use this information so we can communicate more effectively in the next large-scale disaster."

The workshop was opened this morning by Prime Minister's Chief Science Adviser, Sir Peter Gluckman, who shared his experiences around the Christchurch quakes and highlighted the need for senior, trusted and wise spokespeople to front to the public in times of crisis.

Sessions throughout the day will cover social media, communicating uncertainty and understanding the needs of journalists.

This workshop has been organised with support from: Natural Hazards Research Platform; Joint Centre for Disaster Research (Massey/GNS); Science Media Centre; Massey University; Engaging Social Science (eSocSci); and the Royal Society of New Zealand.

Audio recordings from some of the sessions will be available on the Science Media Centre website next week. You can follow the action today on twitter using the hashtag: #NatHazNZ.

Feedback suggests the Heads-Up, which goes out to 1500 subscribers every Friday afternoon, is a valued resource for journalists, scientists, press officers and government officials alike.

However, we are always keen to sharpen the focus and make the newsletter more relevant to your needs. We welcome you to click the the link below and fill in a very short survey to let us know what you would like to see more of in the Head's Up.

Have your say on the SMC Heads Up 

The Aotea fault, named for its proximity to Aotea Quay, was found by NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research) marine geologists mapping the area between the Cook Strait Ferry terminal and Point Jerningham as part of the It's Our Fault research programme led by GNS Science.

The fault is thought to be capable of earthquakes in the order of magnitude M6.3 to M7.1, with evidence that at least two large, surface-rupturing quakes have occurred in the last 10,000 years.

GNS scientist Russ Van Dissen explains in a NIWA press release that the new fault does not appreciably increase the overall ground-shaking hazard in Wellington.

"Any ground-shaking that this fault could produce is already considered in Wellington's seismic hazard calculations. So it is already accounted for in the building code," he says.

You can read more and listen to a recording of the press conference at NIWA on the Science Media Centre website.