Development of a consolidated data platforms for enabling early humanitarian action responses to a climate induced crises

Prof. Alan Duncan and Joanne Grace (Save the Children)

Closing Date:  5th January 2022

1. A multitude of agencies including Government (National Government, ICPAC, ARC), UN (UNOCHA, WFO and FAO), World Bank (FAM) and INGOS (including Save the Children and Start Network), IPC are all developing different types of predictive analytics either for single or multiple hazards at local, national and/or regional levels in East and Southern Africa. This information is shared in different forms, with different audiences, at different times. To date, aside from the UNOCHA data exchange platform (which is not quality controlled) there is no data platform that collates accessible data in one place to create an agreed dataset and triggers in the way the IPC does for emergency response. The aim of this PhD studentship is to examine the potential for the development of such a data platform in either/and Kenya and Somalia, both from a technical perspective as well as a political economy perspective. This will involve an assessment of vested interests to use different types of data at different times, as well as organisational positioning around their model being used.

References:

Qadir, J., Ali, A., ur Rasool, R. et al. Crisis analytics: big data-driven crisis response. Int J Humanitarian Action 1, 12 (2016).

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41018-016-0013-9

Politzer, M. Combining maps, data, and local knowledge to improve humanitarian response. (2020). Inside Development - Space Data for Development. Devex.

https://www.devex.com/news/combining-maps-data-and-local-knowledge-to-improve-humanitarian-response-97827

Preventing and Preparing for Disaster Displacement. (2020). Platform on Disaster Displacement.

https://disasterdisplacement.org/staff-member/preventing-preparing-for-disaster-displacement

This opportunity is open to UK and international students and provides funding to cover stipend, tuition fees and consumable/travel costs.  Applications including a statement of interest and full CV with names and addresses (including email addresses) of two academic referees, should be emailed to [email protected].

When applying for the studentship please state clearly the project title/s and the supervisor/s in your covering letter.

ALL APPLICATION PROCEDURES MUST BE COMPLETED BY THE CLOSING DATE 5th JANUARY 202