Research interests:
Research interests cover a range of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation topics including:
– risk assessment methods and tools for decision makers;
– climate, weather and geohazards;
– disasters and culture;
– indigenous knowledge;
– social vulnerability and capacity;
– Resilience frameworks/measurement;
– science communication and knowledge exchange.
Career history:
Kate has worked as an applied researcher, project manager and practitioner in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) within the UK, New Zealand and for International Development. Most recently she was a Hazard and Risk Engineer at the National Water and Atmospheric Research Institute (NIWA) New Zealand. There she co-managed a national risk tools project and led an international development project on adapting risk assessment tools for the Pacific Island Countries. Previously Kate worked as a DRR Adviser for CAFOD, and completed a PhD at the University of Plymouth examining cultural vulnerability as well as post-doctoral research at Oxford University on flood science knowledge exchange.
Current
Lecturer in Climate Risk and Resilience,
School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh
Sept 2014 – March 2018
Hazards and Risk Engineer and Researcher,
National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
Sept 2011 – Sept 2014
Disaster Risk Reduction Adviser,
Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD), London, UK.
Honorary Research Associate, University College London, UK.
Jan 2010 – Sept 2011
Post-Doctoral Research Associate, NERC Knowledge Exchange Grant
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, UK.
Active research projects:
Flood Impacts to Dairy Farms, New Zealand (currently scoping out phase 2 of programme to expand to the UK)
In collaboration with RiskScape, NIWA
Application of Risk Tools for Decision Makers
In collaboration with RiskScape and PARTneR projects, NIWA
Recent publications:
Crawford, M.H.; Crowley, K.; Potter, S.H.; Saunders, W.S.A.; Johnston, D.M (2018) Risk modelling as a tool to support natural hazards risk management in New Zealand local government, International Journal for Disaster Risk Reduction. Vol 28.
Popovich, B., Crowley, K., Paulik, R. (2018). Flood Hazard Vulnerability Models for Electricity Infrastructure Components: Bay of Plenty Electricity Sector Workshop. Prepared by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, NIWA, for RiskScape. NIWA report number pending.
Paulik, R., Crowley, K., Williams, S., Bind, J., Smart, G. (2018). Edgecumbe 2017 Flood Damage Survey. Prepared by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, NIWA, for RiskScape. NIWA report 2018254WN
Paulik, R., Crowley, K., Williams, S., Bind, J., Smart, G. (2018). Residential Building Damage Survey for the 2017 Edgecumbe Flood Event, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. National Emergency Management Conference 2018 – Partners for Resilience, 29 – 31, May 2018, Wellington, New Zealand.
Crowley, K and Paulik, R (2017) Methods for Estimating Human Losses and Susceptibility to Flood Hazards in RiskScape, NIWA client report.
Crowley, K and Paulik, R (2017) Methods for Estimating Human Losses and Susceptibility to Tsunami Hazards in RiskScape, NIWA client report.
Smart, G., Crowley, K., and Lane, E.M. (2016) Tsunami run-up estimation, Natural Hazards. Vol 80, Issue 3.
McEwan, L., Stokes, A., Crowley, K., and Roberts, C., (2014) Using role-play for expert science communication with professional stakeholders in flood risk management, Journal for Geography in Higher Education. Vol 38, Issue 2.
Stokes, A., Robert, C., Crowley, K., and McEwen, L., (2013) Methods of knowledge exchange and learning focused on local authorities’ experiences of flood science communication. International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication and Public Engagement. Vol 5, Issue 2
Crowley, K and Elliott, J.R. (2012) Earthquake disasters and resilience in the global North: lessons from New Zealand and Japan. Commentary, The Geographical Journal. Vol 178, Issue 3.
Crowley, K., Utami, P and Suriyanto, A., (2012) Mapping cultural vulnerability in volcanic regions: the practical application of interdisciplinary social volcanology at Mt Merapi, Indonesia, Environmental Hazards. Vol 11, Issue 4.
Mercer, J., Gaillard, J-C., Crowley, K., Shannon, R., Alexander, R., Day, S., and J., Becker (2012) Culture and disaster risk reduction: Lessons and Opportunities, Environmental Hazards, Vol 11, Issue 2.