EQC grants $1.25m for UC natural hazards research
University of Canterbury (UC) research will receive nearly half of the Earthquake Commission’s (EQC) revamped $3 million University Research Programme to support EQC’s aim of building New Zealand’s resilience to natural hazards.
UC currently has 15 EQC-supported research projects in Science and Engineering specialties fields.
Dr Jo Horrocks, EQC Head of Resilience Strategy and Research, says that New Zealand is well known as one of the riskiest countries in the world from a natural hazards point of view. “But what we’re also known for is having some of the best natural hazards scientists in the world who are dedicated to understanding our natural hazard risks, and finding way for us to reduce the impact.
“Our University Research Programme funding helps these visionary scientists make further advances in each of their fields, which range from paleoseismology, geology and engineering to economics and applying Mātauranga Māori to disaster risk reduction.”
The successful applicants were selected by a high-calibre international assessment committee that included academics from several universities, as well as engineers, researchers and a local government chief executive.