Module GEOG3701: Mountain Hazards

Department: Geography

GEOG3701: Mountain Hazards

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• The aim of this module is to provide advanced-level theoretical and practical training in the understanding of hazards in dynamic mountain environments. Students will engage in the interpretation of data as part of enquiry into mountain hazards, their assessment and mitigation. As a Level 3 module, it is intended to build upon basic grounding in relevant substantive material from Years 1 and 2, but to expand and apply this knowledge through research-led investigation of mountain hazards. The focus of the module on Nepal reflects the current research interests of the relevant teaching staff in Geography, and is designed to inspire the next generation of researchers in this topic.

Content

• This module provides a research-led examination of environmental hazards in mountain regions, with a particular focus around hazard mechanisms, their mitigation and management. The aim is to provide students with an overview of the range of issues that face people in mountain environments and the manner by which management and policy decisions are made to reduce risks. We aim to give in-depth experience of undertaking research on such environments remotely, using real-world datasets, case studies and applied research.
• The module starts with context lectures, background literature reviews and discussions thereof, and group project preparation in Terms 1 and 2 of Level 3. In Term 1, these are complemented by group workshops that introduce key themes within the module and familiarise students with types of dataset and forms of evidence that they will use in their research projects.
• Topics normally covered in the module include: earthquakes; landsliding; disaster risk reduction; mountain region development; secondary hazards; interdisciplinarity; sediment cascades; monitoring, warning systems and community awareness; engineering geomorphology; hazard and risk.
• Students will develop a comprehensive engagement with the literature and available datasets designed to give them the conceptual and theoretical grounding as part of a small group research project that tackles an issue of critical important in hazardous mountain regions. The Term 1 workshops provide an initial opportunity to work with relevant datasets and apply key concepts before the more sustained project work in Term 2. Projects will combine theory, hypotheses, data analysis, interpretation and dissemination around the themes of the module, developed around their collective interests.
• To provide unique context and insight to issues around disaster risk in Nepal, during Term 2 the group will have guest speaker seminar sessions with leading figures from the disaster risk reduction community in Nepal, potentially including: BBC Media Action Nepal, British Embassy Kathmandu, the UN Nepal, the National Society for Earthquake Technology, and the Government of Nepal. These sessions will provide first-hand insight into policy and practice around disaster risk reduction in Nepal, in addition to personal reflections on working in this field, research ethics in the context of lower and middle income countries, and the emerging agenda around decolonising the geosciences.

Learning Outcomes

• On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
• Develop skills in the transfer of results of theoretical and conceptual models to understanding of observations and geospatial data
• Gain a basic understanding of the current state of the art in understanding mountain hazards
• Consider the role of earthquakes and landslides in the wider evolution of mountainous regions, and the rapid social and environmental changes ongoing
• Describe and explain approaches to hazard mitigation and management and present these to a range of audiences
• Apply knowledge to problem solving based upon a series of real-world case studies focused upon mountain hazards

• Relate general principles of geomorphology to specific situations where Earth surface processes pose a hazard to people
• Plan, design, execute and report geographical research both individually and as part of a team
• Analyse the complex interactions between geology, geomorphology and the social environment
• Apply a range of analytic skills to understand hazardous processes in steep mountain regions
• Evaluate the contribution of physical and social science in mitigating risks from hazards

• Interpret environmental data and apply the resulting evidence to practical hazard and risk management problems.
• Summarise the state of knowledge and understanding of complex environmental topics to a policy-facing audience
• Present logical written and oral arguments
• Undertake critical analysis and interpretation of data and text
• Solve problems and make reasoned decisions using incomplete and uncertain environmental and risk information
• Undertake research-led appraisals of hazard mechanisms, risk and mitigation strategies, using real-world case studies and datasets.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Term 1 briefing lectures and tutorial discussions will introduce the key themes of the module, help students formulate their group research projects and frame their policy-facing summaries . Term 1 workshops will develop this preparation through practical engagement with relevant datasets, evidence and case studies, allowing students to apply key concepts to contemporary mountain hazard and risk-management problems.
• Term 2 guest-speaker seminar sessions will provide wider context on Nepal and direct engagement with people involved in researching and managing hazards. These sessions will provide background for the group research projects and insight into the practical application of evidence in disaster risk reduction, policy and management.
• Project design will require students to demonstrate that they can take background materials from a complex literature and incomplete or uncertain datasets, synthesise those materials, and use them to formulate a realistic project building on published literature and data.
• Project workshops and drop-in sessions through Term 2 will support the development and completion of the projects. Students will be trained in good research practice, including data analysis, time and project management, and the division of responsibilities and tasks, as well as relevant decision-making processes in the management of mountain landscapes.
• The process will culminate in a presentation of the final group project results, and the submission of a group research project policy-facing "2 pager".
• In Term 3, students will be asked to draw upon their experiences from the module, their learning from the literature, and their reflections on their research, in order to compete an unseen examination.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

Formative feedback will be provided in the following ways: on the initial group project development in the term 2 workshop and GTA support sessions; in addition to contact time with staff throughout the module.