Menu Close
The Conversation

Deanne Bird

1

Article

3

Comments
Research Fellow, Risk Frontiers Natural Hazards Research Centre, Macquarie University

Deanne Bird is a human geographer focusing on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. She has extensive experience in conducting surveys using a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods including open, semi-structured and structured interviews, focus groups and workshops.

Deanne was awarded a PhD in 2010 from the University of Iceland and Macquarie University. Her research interests include evaluations of risk perception and community-appropriate methods of risk communication, and assessments of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction strategies among urban, rural and Indigenous populations.

Recently, Deanne has managed and undertaken a number of successful research projects for NCCARF, SES, Sydney Water and the Attorney-General’s Department. These include leading and managing an investigation of Indigenous adaptation to climate change across northern Australia and an examination of the impact of the 2010/11 floods in Queensland and Victoria.

Currently, Deanne works for Risk Frontiers, based at Macquarie University and is an associate of Charles Darwin University and the University of Iceland. From within these roles, she continues to work closely with community groups, local, state and federal governments, non government organisations and emergency management personnel. Deanne has published her research in a number of high ranking, peer-reviewed academic journals including: Earth Science Reviews, Energy Policy, Bulletin of Volcanology, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research and Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences.

Experience

  • 2010–present
    Research Fellow, Risk Frontiers, Macquarie University
  • 2008–2010
    Researcher, University of Iceland
  • 2006–2009
    Research Administrator, Macquarie University
  • 2006–2009
    Tour Guide and Travel Consultant, Arctic Adventures, Iceland

Education

  • 2010 
    University of Iceland and Macquarie University, PhD in Environmental Science
  • 2008 
    Griffith University, Gold Coast, Postgraduate Training Course: Experimental Design and Statistics
  • 2007 
    University of Geneva, Postgraduate Training Course: Specialisation Certificate in Assessment and Management of Geological Risks (CERG-UNIGE)
  • 2006 
    Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre, Bangkok, Regional Course on Earthquake and Tsunami Vulnerability Reduction: focusing on the use of spatial geodata
  • 2004 
    Macquarie University, Bachelor of Environmental Science: Physical Geography
  • 2004 
    University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, Certificate in Environmental and Resource Management

Publications

  • 2013
    Nuclear power in Australia: Public opinion in respect to energy supply and climate change, Energy Policy
  • 2013
    Response, recovery and adaptation in flood affected communities in Queensland and Victoria, Australian Journal of Emergency Management
  • 2013
    Future change in ancient worlds: Indigenous adaptation in northern Australia, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility
  • 2012
    An examination of hazard communication logs and public response during the 1946 and 1960 tsunamis that impacted Hilo, Hawaii, Natural Hazards in the Asia-Pacific Region: Recent Advances and Emerging Concepts. The Geological Society of London
  • 2012
    Residents’ attitudes and behaviour before and after the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruptions – a case study from southern Iceland, Bulletin of Volcanology
  • 2012
    Flooding Facebook – the use of social media during the Queensland and Victorian floods, Australian Journal of Emergency Management
  • 2011
    Human response to extreme events: A review of three post-tsunami disaster case studies, Australian Geographer
  • 2011
    Different communities, different perspectives: Issues affecting residents’ response to a volcanic eruption in southern Iceland, Bulletin of Volcanology
  • 2011
    Nuclear Spring? New research shows that the Australian public may accept nuclear energy if it will help tackle climate change, Australasian Science
  • 2011
    Process, practice and priorities - key lessons learnt undertaking sensitive social reconnaissance research as part of an (UNESCO-IOC) International Tsunami Survey Team, Earth Science Reviews
  • 2010
    Volcanic risk and tourism in southern Iceland: implications for hazard, risk and emergency response education and training, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research
  • 2009
    The use of questionnaires for acquiring information on public perception of natural hazards and risk mitigation – a review of current knowledge and practice, Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
  • 2009
    Resident perception of volcanic hazards and evacuation procedures, Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
  • 2009
    Public perception of jökulhlaup hazard and risk in Iceland – implications for community education, International Journal of Environmental Policy and Decision Making
  • 2009
    Evaluation of morphometric parameters of drainage networks derived from topographic maps and DEM in point of floods, Environmental Geology
  • 2008
    Usage of an early warning and information system Web-site for real-time seismicity in Iceland, Natural Hazards
  • 2008
    Testing the use of a ‘questionnaire survey instrument’ to investigate public perception of tsunami hazard and risk in Sydney, Australia, Natural Hazards
  • 2007
    Letter to the Editor: The Australian Tsunami Warning System and lessons from the 2 April 2007 Solomon Islands tsunami alert in Australia, Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
  • 2006
    Tsunami risk mitigation and the issue of public awareness, Australian Journal of Emergency Management

Grants and Contracts

  • 2012
    An integrated research assessment of the physical and social aspects of the March 2011 flash flooding in Shellharbour, Kiama and Bega Valley, NSW
    Role:
    Investigator
    Funding Source:
    NSW State Emergency Service
  • 2012
    Indigenous adaptation in northern Australia
    Role:
    Principal Investigator
    Funding Source:
    National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility
  • 2011
    Investigation of hazard and risk communication and the use of risk registers
    Role:
    Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Risk Assessment, Measurement and Mitigation Sub-Committee (RAMMS) of the National Emergency Management Committee (NEMC)
  • 2011
    Indigenous experience of and emergency response to, Cyclone Tracy, Darwin, 1974
    Role:
    Investigator
    Funding Source:
    National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility
  • 2011
    Investigating factors that inhibit and enable adaptation strategies following the 2010/11 floods
    Role:
    Principal Investigator
    Funding Source:
    National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility
  • 2010
    Social dimensions of volcanic hazard, risk and emergency response procedures in southern Iceland
    Role:
    Principal Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Rannís – the Icelandic Centre for Research
  • 2010
    Policy changes in emergency management surrounding the Jan/Feb 2009 heatwaves in South Australia and Victoria
    Role:
    Investigator
    Funding Source:
    National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility
  • 2010
    Adaptation to climate change and learning from extreme events
    Role:
    Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Sydney Water
  • 2009
    Volcanic risk and tourism in southern Iceland
    Role:
    Principal Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Vegagerðin (The Icelandic Road Administration)
  • 2009
    Social dimensions of volcanic hazard, risk and emergency response procedures in southern Iceland
    Role:
    Principal Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Rannís – the Icelandic Centre for Research
  • 2008
    Resident perception of volcanic hazards and evacuation procedures
    Role:
    Principal Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Vegagerðin (The Icelandic Road Administration)
  • 2008
    Social dimensions of volcanic hazard, risk and emergency response procedures in southern Iceland
    Role:
    Principal Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Rannís – the Icelandic Centre for Research
  • 2007
    Resident perception of volcanic hazards and evacuation procedures
    Role:
    Principal Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Landsvirkjun
  • 2007
    Volcanic risk and tourism in southern Iceland
    Role:
    Principal Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Vegagerðin (The Icelandic Road Administration)