Project update - scientific diversity

This is the March 2016 newsletter from the Scientific Diversity, Scientific Uncertainty and Risk Mitigation Policy and Planning project (RMPP), with updates for project end-users.

Darwin scenario exercise

Dr Timothy Neale travelled to Darwin 9-11 December 2015 to complete the Greater Darwin case study scenario exercise. The exercise was facilitated with the help of Professor Paul James (Western Sydney University) and Dr Elspeth Oppermann (Charles Darwin University). Dr Neale is now analysing this work to prepare for the final Darwin case study interviews in May 2016.

Actioning the utilisation plan

The project team have drafted a research utilisation plan that was circulated to end-users at the end of 2015 for comment. The next step is for the project team to action this plan, beginning with a presentation to Victorian fire management agencies (planned for April 2016) and a short piece by Dr Neale on the RMPP project in a forthcoming issue of Fire Australia.

Publication update

Several publications drawing on work from the RMPP project are currently under peer-review with academic journals. The next confirmed peer-review publication is:

• Neale T, Weir JK and Dovers S. (2016) Science in Motion: integrating scientific knowledge into bushfire risk mitigation in southwest Victoria. Australian Journal of Emergency Management.

This paper, which addresses the Barwon-Otway case study, will be available Open Access in April.