PA42B:
Scientific Risk and Scientific Expertise in Hazard Events: Navigating among Diverging Scientific Data and Opinions


Session ID#: 8760

Session Description:
During times when hazard risks increase and events unfold, scientists are increasingly called upon for advice or in some cases to actively participate in decisions. At the same time, decision-makers must evaluate the range of opinions they receive from scientists who themselves differ in their evaluations and interpretations of risk, and in communication of scientific uncertainty. The interface of scientific analysis and expert opinion, and its application in hazards, is critical and consequential for all involved. But it remains a largely under-explored element in science translation for decision-making. Drawing on experience from hazard events around the world, this session explores and debates how scientific data, expert opinion and decision-making have shaped hazard science and scientific contributions and discusses ways for more coherent approaches that advance scientific research and contribute to safeguarding communities and scientists.
Primary Convener:  Deborah M Brosnan, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
Convener:  Kristin A. Ludwig, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, United States
Chairs:  Deborah M Brosnan, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States and Kristin A. Ludwig, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, United States
OSPA Liaison:  Kristin A. Ludwig, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, United States

Cross-Listed:
  • GC - Global Environmental Change
  • NH - Natural Hazards
  • SI - Societal Impacts and Policy Sciences
  • V - Volcanology, Geochemistry and Petrology
Index Terms:

4332 Disaster resilience [NATURAL HAZARDS]
4334 Disaster risk communication [NATURAL HAZARDS]
4352 Interaction between science and disaster management authorities [NATURAL HAZARDS]
6309 Decision making under uncertainty [POLICY SCIENCES]

Abstracts Submitted to this Session:

In the heat of the moment: Effectively engaging scientists and diverging science in hazard events. (59671)
Deborah M Brosnan, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
The Accidental Spokesperson - Science Communication during the 2010-2011 Christchurch, NZ Earthquake Sequence (Invited) (60917)
Kevin P Furlong, Penn State Univ, University Park, United States
What can you bring to the table during a hazard event?: Its more than exchanging business cards before a crisis (Invited) (79460)
Christopher M Reddy, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, United States
Can I Get a Second Opinion? – Translating Hazard Understanding to Disaster Response (Invited) (61264)
Tim Stough, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, United States, David S Green, NASA Headquarters, Application Science - Wildfires, Washington, United States and John J Murray, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, United States
Asteroid Airbursts: Risk Assessment and Reduction (Invited) (60882)
Mark Boslough, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Large Historical Tsunamigenic Earthquakes in Italy: The Neglected Tsunami Research Point of View (77822)
Alberto Armigliato1, Stefano Tinti2, Gianluca Pagnoni2 and Filippo Zaniboni1, (1)University of Bologna, DIFA, "Augusto Righi", Bologna, Italy, (2)University of Bologna, DIFA, Bologna, Italy
3-D or median map? Earthquake scenario ground-motion maps from physics-based models versus maps from ground-motion prediction equations (59487)
Keith Porter, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
Dealing with Natural Disasters: Preparedness versus Post-Event Response (84059)
Nicholas Sitar, University of California Berkeley, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Berkeley, CA, United States

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