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Disaster research recognised with four new PhDs

Wednesday 6 June 2012, 3:39PM

By Massey University

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Dr Wendy Saunders, Dr Ian de Terte, Dr Jullia Becker and Professor David Johnston after last Thursday's graduation parade through central Wellingto
Dr Wendy Saunders, Dr Ian de Terte, Dr Jullia Becker and Professor David Johnston after last Thursday's graduation parade through central Wellingto Credit: Massey University

The Massey University/GNS Science Joint Centre for Disaster Research is celebrating four new PhDs.

Last Thursday was a proud day for the centre’s director, Professor David Johnston, as he saw three PhDs awarded in Wellington to students he had supervised. They were Dr Ian de Terte, senior professional clinician in the School of Psychology, and Dr Julia Becker and Dr Wendy Saunders of GNS Science.

Dr Heather Taylor graduated in Manawatü earlier in the month. She researched children's experiences of flooding in Surakarta, Indonesia.

Dr de Terte studied psychological resilience in the face of exposure to traumatic events, using a sample of police officers. Dr Becker investigated why relatively few people prepare for earthquakes even after they receive information about the importance of earthquake preparedness. Dr Saunders developed a risk-based model for land use planning.

Academics from the centre are supervising 20 PhD students. Five are based in Christchurch, where Professor Johnston is also living this year due to the extent of his work with the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority.