Steve Sutton

Steve’s PhD thesis examines the components of the socio-cultural context of the Indonesian island, Simeulue, which had remarkably low level of fatalities during the Indian Ocean Boxing Day tsunami in 2004. “Simeulue, 150 km off the coast of Sumatra, was the first location struck by the tsunami but reportedly lost only a handful of lives,” Steve said. “In neighbouring Sumatra three per cent of the population died.”

With a background in archaeology and Indigenous heritage, Steve’s research is investigating the social and environmental factors that led to such an outcome. “Most research into disaster risk reduction focuses on the losses arising from bushfires and natural hazards and how to avoid similar losses in the future. Very little research considers situations where losses have been avoided by effective practices. The really compelling thing about the story of Simeulue is the way the entire community responded to the disaster. I want to understand why this particular community prepared and what, if any, were the environmental or cultural signs,” Steve said.

The key factors that contributed to the disaster response behaviour will then be considered in Australian cultural settings with a view to improving risk communication and community resilience. Steve has been a great ambassador for the CRC, receiving the CRC Special Recognition Award in 2017. He has presented his PhD findings at the CRC’s Research Forum in 2016 and 2017, and in addition to his PhD, has led the CRC project Northern Australia bushfire and natural hazard training, creating training units that have been developed specifically for the needs of remote northern communities that are sensitive to language and cultural variations and draw upon local knowledge and contexts.