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NZC hosted Professor David Johnston from Massey University
09/11/2019 — The New Zealand Centre proudly hosted Professor David Johnston, Director of the Joint Centre for Disaster Research at Massey University. During his stay he gave a presentation at PKU and worked with a multitude of universities and natural disaster research organisations.
Professor David Johnston’s 12 day stay was under the steam of the New Zealand Centre Fellowship, which Professor Johnston used to strengthen and further develop the research partnership between Joint Centre for Disaster Research, Massey University and Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at Peking University. With his host, Professor Zhang Qinghong of the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at PKU, the pair are working together to explore the use of citizen science to help improve weather forecasts. This collaboration is within a project called HIWeather, which through faster and more effective weather broadcasts aims to dramatically increase our resilience to high impact weather, with Professor Zhang Qinghong as HIWeather ICO Director and David Johnston as HIWeather Co-chair. Professor Johnston And Professor Zhang are planning more such joint projects, as well as the possibility of student exchanges between Massey and Peking University. On the 31st of October Professor Johnston gave a lecture titled “Exploring Approaches to Natural Hazard Readiness” at Peking University. Professor Johnston outlined the risks posed by some natural processes, earthquakes, wildfires, floods etc, before talking about responses that New Zealand has adopted to such disasters.
Professor Johnston delivering a lecture
Aside from working with Peking University, Tongji University of Shanghai and Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, Professor Johnston also strengthened links with many natural disaster research organisations. These include the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, the Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth as well as maintaining a history of cooperation with Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) in the process. Professor David Johnston was warmly welcomed at IRDR International Programme Office (IPO) at the Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth on 4 November when he made his visit. The meeting was joined by Fang Lian, IRDR IPO Science Officer; Zhang Qinghong, HIWeather ICO Director; Qunli Han, IRDR Executive Director; Lang Lang, IRDR IPO Administrative Officer and Liye Li, HIWeather ICO Secretary.
From left to right: Li Liye, Lian Fang , David Johnston, Zhang Qinghong, Han Qunli, Lang Lang
Such connections with China have been forged over a long time. Professor Johnston has been to China at least 13 times, the first being some 27 years ago as a young traveller. He recalls major changes in the countries infrastructure and most notably, the improvement in Beijing’s air quality in recent years. With connections in China ever growing, this is bound not to be the last trip Professor David Johnston makes here. |
