UBC experts and community members are available to comment on the March 11 anniversary of Japan’s “triple disaster” – the earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant meltdown.
At a series of public events, UBC will explore major lessons from the catastrophe – including those for B.C. – and remember the victims and their families.
PERSONAL STORIES – Contact via UBC Public Affairs
Asato Ikeda, student, Dept. of Art History
- Father-in-law was rescued by helicopter and her mother-in-law escaped a mudslide that claimed several lives.
- Curated earthquake art exhibit at UBC
Kozue Matsumoto, alumna, Dept. Educational Studies
- Had family in Japan during the disaster (was unable able to contact them for a week)
- Her Twitter feed from that time will be exhibited at UBC
Prof. Christina Laffin, Dept. of Asian Studies
- Experienced the 2011 earthquake first-hand while researching Japanese literature in Tokyo
- Can discuss the cultural and social impact of triple disasters
- Read her personal account here.
EXPERTS
Prof. David Edgington, Dept. of Geography
Office: 604-822-5612
Email: david.edgington@ubc.ca
Blog: blogs.arts.ubc.ca/wordpressmu/dedgington/
- Co-organizer of UBC conference, Reconstruction after Japan’s Triple Disaster: Lessons for British Columbia
- Edgington, an expert on post-earthquake efforts in Japan, outlines some earthquake lessons
- Watch videos of Edgington analyzing the earthquake: http://www.asiapacificmemo.ca
Prof. Julian Dierkes, Institute of Asian Research
Email: julian.dierkes@ubc.ca (best contact method)
Twitter: @jdierkes
- Contemporary Japan and the political and social impacts of the earthquake
- Co-organizer of UBC’s Japan’s Triple Disaster: Lessons For B.C. conference
Barbara Lence, Dept. of Civil Engineering
Tel: 604.822.1365
Cell: 778-322-5779
Email: lence@civil.ubc.ca
- Tsunami modeling for Vancouver Island, emergency response preparedness
Prof. Carlos Ventura, Dept of Civil Engineering
Director of Earthquake Engineering Research Facility
Email: ventura@civil.ubc.ca
- N.B. In Tokyo until March 12, but available by email (Vancouver is 17 hours behind Tokyo)
PUBLIC EVENTS
Sat., March 10: Retell, Rethink, Recover: UBC community members impacted by the disasters will share their experiences at a one-day conference and art exhibition at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (10 am-4 pm). To attend, contact shirin.eshghi@ubc.ca, 1961 East Mall.
Sun., March 11: Remembering 3/11: UBC students will ring the Pacific Bell at 2:46 p.m. and present 1000-origami cranes at a memorial at the UBC Asian Centre (2-4 pm). To attend, contact Bill McMichael at 604-822-1971 or william.mcmichael@ubc.ca. 1871 West Mall.
Wed., March 14-16: Reconstruction after Japan’s Triple Disaster: Lessons for British Columbia: UBC and global experts will discuss Japan’s reconstruction and lessons for B.C. at a conference at C.K. Choi Building. Register at: http://bit.ly/japanworkshop. More info: david.edgington@ubc.ca. 1855 West Mall.
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Related topics: arts, asia, community engagement, Dept. of Asian Studies, earthquake, Fukushima, hot topics, Institute of Asian Research, intercultural understanding, Japan, Japanese earthquake experts, tsunami, UBC, UBC experts list, UBC Library
