Albert Williams [pictured] at the London Metropolitan University attending a CISCO CCNA tutorial in 2015
Inside this edition
■ Progress update on T802 – The Research project
F36 MSc Technology Management update
If you have been a follower of my previous posts on my blog, you will be aware that this author is aggressively working on the final leg of (F36) Masters in Technology Management with The Open University (OU) to be completed by February 2020. Beginning in February 2019, I commenced the final module in the Open University’s T802- The Research Project. This postgraduate qualification comes on the heels of graduating with an undergraduate, degree: (B62) BSc (Hons) Computing and Information Technology from the OU which I earned in 2016.
Modules that I have successfully completed up to this point are;
- T848 – Managing technological innovation.
- T849 – Strategic capabilities for technological innovation.
- TU812 – Managing Systemic change: inquiry, action and interaction.
- TU811 – Thinking strategically: Capabilities for technological innovation.
A range of subject choices that have armed this researcher with the knowledge and a range of skills and capabilities to make an informed decision about the use of technology, and how to incorporate innovation as part of, not only in the corporate and governmental organisations, but also in the pursuit of my own hobbies and interests. Moreover, this masters programme is an added boost to the modules studies during my undergraduate studies.
Disaster management and Open University studies
Although I live over 4, 103 miles away from the Caribbean, as providence would have it, the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season would be a turning point in the focus of my OU studies. 2017 was a most brutal year for the Caribbean with two category 5 storms devastating multiple islands and jurisdictions in the Caribbean.
Two major hurricanes ripped through the Caribbean within two weeks apart that year: Hurricane Irma on September 6 which killed over 134 persons and caused catastrophic damage in Barbuda, Saint Barthelemy, Sint Martin, Anguilla. the British Virgin Islands, United States Virgin Islands, Cuba and Florida. Two weeks later, September 18, Hurricane Maria, a category 5 hurricane devastated Dominica leaving over 96 persons missing or dead.
TU812 – Managing Systemic change: inquiry, action and interaction had begun in October of that year and my determination was now on making some sort of academic contribution to the discussion that followed such widespread devastation in the Caribbean. Although, I was born in the UK, I lived in Dominica between 1972 and 2004 during which time I survived Hurricane David in 1979. so the emotions were very raw. I have a son, and relatives and friends in Dominica, and my early character was formed back then there growing up in the literary circles and later joined the Chronicle as a senior reporter.
Evaluation of computer-based models used for disaster management
Graphic [ above] depicting the Aim, objectives, methods, tasks and deliverables
After several iterations resulting from discussions with my supervisor, the theme or topic for my dissertation, has been decided that it will be an evaluation and improvement of computer-based, models used for disaster management.
Computer-based models used in disaster management are desktop software simulations of disaster scenarios run on super computers. Government agencies and weather forecasters depend on the output of these simulations to inform clients with data to inform their mitigation and response procedures before and in the aftermath of disasters, and for long-term planning.
The subject of designing models for disaster management is an academic discipline that continues to receive much attention from scholars over the last five years. Media reports suggest that severe weather occurrences are on the increase. Indeed, within the first two months of 2019, several weather-related records have been broken causing loss of life, damage to infrastructure and disruption to the lives of millions of people in every continent. Disasters are a threat to any populated area and could range from hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons, to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis to floods, droughts, landslides and avalanches. Some disasters are seasonal and can be anticipated, such as the annual hurricane or monsoon season.
Hazards are costly to the economic progress of countries across the globe. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a natural disaster as a catastrophic act of nature that significantly disrupts the day-to-day pattern of their lives. WHO says that natural disasters also render victims ‘helpless and suffering’ and in need of humanitarian assistance to provide basic necessities: food, clothing and shelter and medical supplies, and in need of ‘protection from unfavourable factors and conditions (World Health Organisation 2019)
Within the last few years, the study of disaster management and the recovery from disasters has continued to intensify. According to a recent UNISDR report, cited in (World Meteorological Organization. 2018), between 1998-2017, “the greatest economic losses from disasters have been the USA, US$ 944.8 billion; China, US$492.2 billion; Japan, US$376.3 billion; India, US$ 79.5 billion; and Puerto Rico, US$ 71.7 billion” (United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction 2019).
Researchers cited in the literature review of this dissertation, all agree that disaster modelling is necessary if governments are to be able to cope with the preparation and aftermath of the onslaught of natural disasters. The focus of this dissertation, therefore, is to evaluate existing models formulated in recent years with the view of finding any weak areas or gaps that can be evaluated, and suggestions made for their improvements.
“Models used in disaster management are an effective method of anticipating and taking action when a region is faced with a natural disaster and coping with the aftermath ” – Nojavan.
Computer-based models used in disaster management are desktop software simulations of disaster scenarios run on supercomputers. Government agencies and weather forecasters depend on the output of these simulations to inform clients with data to inform their mitigation and response procedures before and in the aftermath of disasters, and for long-term planning.
The subject of designing models for disaster management is an academic discipline that continues to receive much attention from scholars over the last five years. Media reports suggest that severe weather occurrences are on the increase. Indeed, within the first two months of 2019, several weather-related records have been broken causing loss of life, damage to infrastructure and disruption to the lives of millions of people in every continent. Disasters are a threat to any populated area and could range from hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons, to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis to floods, droughts, landslides and avalanches. Some disasters are seasonal and can be anticipated, such as the annual hurricane or monsoon season.
A polite request for your contribution towards the primary research for a dissertation
Consequently, here I am at stage 3 of the process of producing my dissertation. Both primary and secondary research are crucial components of the research. Below is a sample of the correspondence that I have been circulating soliciting contributions from experts and enterprise users in the field.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
My name is Albert Williams, and I am pursuing a Masters of Technology with the Open University by 2020. I intend to engage stakeholders like yourself, non-governmental organizations, the media, and regional and international agencies to help me gather data for my chosen area of interest.
Your contact details were obtained from the academic paper, and contact details harvested from the relevant organizations’ websites
I am analyzing models used in disaster management with the view of investigating how they can be made more innovative.
Stage 1 of my research, will be led by online survey and email questionnaires.
Stage 2 will be led by submitting a revised candidate model to participants from whom I will solicit feedback which may include field visits, one-to-one telephone interviews or structured and semi-structured questionnaires.
Finally, in stage three, the revised candidate model will be reviewed by you to receive your final recommendations for inclusion in the dissertation.
I would be eternally grateful if you would accept to be a participant in this project
The information data set that I am seeking to build includes a request for information on issues such as:
What is the role played by modeling .in disaster management?
What is the nature of disaster models.
The mechanisms for implementation and deployment of Computer-based models.
What is the availability of computer systems to deploy such models?
How significant is the modeling to the overall management of a disaster?
How much could be gained from improving models?
What is the background of computer-based modeling in disaster management?
Examples of how computer-based modeling is currently used?
What role has modeling played in the past?
What contributions might modeling make to disaster management in the future?
How might improved modeling affect disaster management funding?
How successful has it been?
What weaknesses have been identified?
What improvements are needed?
How might these improvements come about?
All data collected will be stored to the highest ethical standards. As well as acknowledgments and credits will be given for any contribution to the project. Or as you wish, you may remain anonymous.
You may learn more about my project from my blog or Facebook
Looking forward to your favorable response.
Regards.
Albert Williams
ALBERT WILLIAMS Reporting 
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