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The Victorian Disaster Research Forum (VDRF) returned for its second year, showcasing the next generation of natural hazards researchers, including members of Natural Hazards Research Australia’s (the Centre) education program.
The forum, organised by the Victorian Disaster Research Alliance, a network of interdisciplinary disaster researchers across Victoria’s universities, brought together researchers, practitioners and sector leaders to explore how science and collaboration can strengthen community resilience.
PhD student Ahamad Hassan (Victoria University) outlined the next phase of his research to integrate extreme bushfire dynamics into predictive models, an advance that could transform fire forecasting.
Postgraduate Scholar Michael Meadows (RMIT University) presented on his PhD research that is assesses the vertical accuracy of the various global Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) to improve flood modelling.
Nur Trihantoro (RMIT University) presented his research that is enhancing fire prediction and real-time detection by fusing multi-sensor satellite data using advanced mathematical techniques and automated algorithms, delivering faster, more accurate insights for fire management and mitigation.
Photo: Nur Trihantoro
Centre intern Anna Durkin offered reflections from her time observing the Los Angeles fires, linking real-world insights to broader research questions and proposing new directions for study.
The audience heard from Centre Early Career Research Fellow Dr Nick McCarthy (Country Fire Authority), who delivered a keynote that challenged conventional thinking about fire detection. “Is detection really the bottleneck for response, or is there another bottleneck?” he asked, urging a shift in research investment priorities.
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Photo: Dr Nick McCarthy
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