Current Postgraduate Scholarships

 

 

MASTERS SCHOLARSHIP: Benchmarking the readiness of Road Controlling Authorities to meet their obligations under the CDEM Act 2002

 

Closing Date:   Applications must be submitted before 5.00pm on 30th September 2008.

Value:              Up to NZ$20,000 per annum (according to the scholar’s experience)
Tenure:           1 year

 

About the Research Team: We are offering ONE scholarship to an excellent scholar to participate in the Objective 2 research activities. Objective 2 aims to develop a planning instrument that evaluates how efficiently infrastructure organisations will make use of physical and human resources during and after hazard events and assists asset managers to optimise the deployment of resources in an actual event. The research method comprises: Study of the dynamic flow of information during hazard events and subsequent response and recovery; Evaluation of information requirements during hazard events and subsequent response and recovery actions; Creation of a Dynamic Geo-spatial Information System (DGIS) to represent and store data describing damage to the road network; Implementation of the Dynamic Response Recovery Tool (DRRT); Analysis and Conclusions; and Promoting the framework.

 

Research Scope: The researcher awarded this scholarship will develop a conceptual framework for benchmarking the level of preparedness of Road Controlling Authorities (RCA) in New Zealand to meet their obligations under the Civil Defence and Emergency Management Act (2002).  The final aim will be to develop a tool that enables Road Controlling Authorities to evaluate and to develop plans for improving their emergency response and recovery planning arrangements.

Key questions that this research aims to address include:

1. How should the requirements for lifeline organisations as specified in the CDEM Act 2002 be interpreted?
   
2. To what extent are RCAs currently meeting these requirements?
   
3. What specific aspects of RCA planning arrangements are priorities for improving, and are there ways for encouraging greater sharing of best practice?

 

Selection Criteria
The successful scholar will have:
-   Excellent academic record; and
-   Bachelor in Engineering or Science.

Professional experience in any of the related areas will be a plus, but not essential.

Selection Process
The selection process will comprise three phases:
- Review of curriculum vitae; and

- Interview.

How to apply
Send curriculum vitae and cover letter to Dr. Andre Dantas (andre.dantas@canterbury.ac.nz) no later than 5.00pm on 30th September 2008.