QERC Skills Workshop: Ethics of Post Disaster Research

The Christchurch QuakeCoRE Emerging Researchers Chapter (QERC) is pleased to announce that  they will be hosting an introductory workshop on the Ethics of Post Disaster Research. This is a key area for our community to have an awareness and competence in.    

Presenter: Dr Sarah Beaven

Venue: University of Canterbury – Room E10

Date and Time: Thursday  6 December, 12:45pm to 2:45pm; Pizza will be served 12:15pm – 12:45pm for those attending in person

Registration required by 9am Monday 3 December.

This workshop is open to emerging researchers outside of Christchurch via zoom.

For further details  and RSVPs please email

Ribu Dhakal: [email protected]

Workshop Details: This two hour presentation situates the ethical issues associated with post-disaster research in the wider context. It begins with definitions – what is meant by ethics? Key historical examples are used to trace the development of concern about research involving human subjects over the twentieth century. An outline of the growing recognition of the additional ethical risks that post-disaster environments pose to all researchers, regardless of discipline, is followed by a more in-depth discussion of the issues that led to – and arose from – the research moratorium put in place during the state of national emergency after the 22 February 2011 Christchurch Earthquake.

Presenter Biography: Dr Sarah Beaven is a social scientist, and lecturer in disaster risk and resilience in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Canterbury. Her research is focused on collaborative and adaptive governance across sector, institutional and disciplinary boundaries in the disaster risk management context. As Natural Hazards Research Platform social science liaison (2011-2014), Dr Beaven provided support to response and recovery efforts after the Canterbury Earthquakes; in 2016 she was elected co-chair of the NZ Natural Hazards Social Science Advisory Group. Recent and current projects include research into interagency disaster risk management coordination in New Zealand, and the design and implementation of cross-sector research platforms (funded by EQC, QuakeCoRE and the Resilience to Nature-’s Challenge).