Thinking about joining the 2025 Disaster Challenge but unsure where to begin? You might be interested but need more clarity on the process, have a few questions, or be looking to connect with others to form a team.
To support you, Natural Hazards Research Australia (the Centre) hosted an online briefing on 15 May 2025, designed to walk you through everything you need to know to get involved.
The session covered:
- An introduction to the wicked problem—what it is, why it matters and how to approach solving it
- Who the Disaster Challenge is for and what makes a strong submission
- Tips on getting started and shaping your idea
- How to develop a clear and focused solution statement
Whether you're just exploring the opportunity or preparing to submit, this briefing provides helpful insights and guidance to get you on track. Watch the recording below.
Speakers:
- Professor Cheryl Desha, Science and Innovation Director, Natural Hazards Research Australia
- Dr Supriya Gurung, Senior Project Officer – Education and Training, Natural Hazards Research Australia
- Dr Brendon McAtee, Node Research Manager, WA, SA, Natural Hazards Research Australia
- Dr Blythe McLennan, Node Research Manager, VIC, TAS, Natural Hazards Research Australia
- John Gilbert, Senior Manager Risk and Resilience, Monash University Disaster Resilience Initiative
- Deb Sparkes, Aviation Research and Evaluation Manager, AFAC
What is the Disaster Challenge?
The Disaster Challenge is a national challenge to encourage new ideas, new thinking and new research. The Disaster Challenge calls out to early career researchers, postgraduate and undergraduate students across Australia – it is your chance to make a difference with innovative ideas and solutions for the wicked problems the country faces with natural hazards.
Hosted by Natural Hazards Research Australia with support from universities and emergency management organisations, the Disaster Challenge invites the best and brightest minds in our universities to put their creative talents into helping us solve the trickiest problems that surround how we deal with floods, bushfires, storms, cyclones and other natural hazards.
A wicked problem is one that is urgent, but difficult to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, or changing requirements that are often difficult to recognise or evaluate. With a national final and prizes, what innovation can you bring that Australia hasn’t done yet?
This year's challenge
How can we innovate our infrastructure – physical, social, green and other types of infrastructure, community and place to enable effective and affordable community-led place-based disaster resilience? This could be at any scale, for local communities, local government authorities, state government or national.
Entries close 5:00pm AEST, 15 June 2025