The International Flash Flood Laboratory

The International Flash Flood Laboratory (IFFL) held its inaugural workshop Monday, October 19 -- see the link, above for more information. If you would like to participate in the IFFL, please send your email address by using the "Add My Contact Information" drop down menu under the IFFL tab, above.

Lovell Distinguished Lecture News

The center has traditionally held its distinguished lecture in spring, but this year the talk was moved to the fall semester in order to synchronize it with the IFFL workshop (see the link under, "Report: Inaugural Workshop", above). The lecture was delivered by Dr. Eve Gruntfest, a recognized expert in warning systems, flash floods, and the challenge of integrating the social and atmospheric sciences. Director of Social Science Woven into Meteorology (SSWIM) at the National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma, and founder and co-director of the "WAS * IS" (Weather and Society Integrated Studies) movement (www.sip.ucar.edu/wasis), Dr. Gruntfest originated the concept of creating the IFFL and  has agreed to serve as co-director of the laboratory. The title of her talk was, "Hydro-Socio-Meteoro-logy: Essential Elements for Flash Flood Mitigation and Research."

Distinguished Visitors

** On July 5, the center was visited by David King, director of the Centre for Disaster Studies and associate professor in the School of Tropical Environment Studies and Geography at James Cook University in North Queensland, Australia. Dr. Cook was driving cross-country on his way to the annual hazards workshop in Boulder, CO. He started his journey in Miami, crossed the Everglades and travelled up the Gulf Coast through New Orleans and Houston to reach us. Dr. King graciously presented the center with a copy of his book (co-authored with Alison Cottrell) Communities Living with Hazards (2007). Anyone interested in collaborating with Dr. King can contact him directly at david.king@jcu.edu.au. You can also visit his center's website at http://www.tesag.jcu.edu.au/CDS/index.htm, where their current research foci include tourist destination risk management modeling and weather warnings/knowledge in remote communities.

** On September 1, Karen Ridenour of the Texas Forest Service visited the department and spent over an hour discussing wildfire/Wildland Urban Interface research opportunities with a group of Lovell Scholars. Following that meeting, Ridenour provided the center with four reports of interest to those analyzing wildfires: case studies of the Wilderness Ridge and Cross Plains fires, a survey conducted to perform wildfire hazard risk assessment, and the 2008 Significant Fire Report for Texas. These documents are provided below for downloading by interested parties, and are also available from the Texas Forest Service web page.

Meeting News

On July 16, center director Showalter presented, "Introducing the International Flash Flood Laboratory" to the Texas Flash Flood Coalition, co-hosted by City of Austin's Homeland Security and Emergency Management and Travis County Emergency Management. Representatives from a variety of public and private organizations (such as the Texas School Safety Center, CAPGOG, LCRA, DPS, West Gulf River Forecast Center, as well as Texas State University-San Marcos) attended. Also presenting was Dr. Frederico Subervi, a professor in our university's School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and director of the new Center for the Study of Latino Media and Markets.

On August 22, Showalter attended an Urban Wildland Interface Work Group meeting in Austin, organized by the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG). As a result of the meeting, on September 1, a representative of the Texas Forest Service came to campus and met with a group of Lovell Scholars to discuss research opportunities (see above).

On September 3, Showalter presented, "Introducing the International Flash Flood Laboratory" to the Homeland Security Task Force of the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) in Austin. There were over 35 representatives from a variety of public safety organizations present. Also presenting was Keith Stephens, Training Manager of the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center at Texas A&M.

On September 24, Showalter attended a meeting at the Lower Colorado River Authority's Redbud Center in Austin. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the joint NOAA/USGS/US Army Corps of Engineers Integrated Water Resources Science and Services (IWRSS) initiative. The goal of IWRSS is to provide users "one-stop shopping" for physical and social sciences water (and water-related) data, from "summit to sea". The center's faculty scholars are discussing ways to contribute to this effort.

_{This page was last updated November 11,  2009}