Scholarly record

MOBEE: A SCIENCE CAMPAIGN TO URGE EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS IN QUAKE-PRONE COUNTRIES

Dr. Dragos Tataru, PhD-Student Dragos Toma-Danila PhD-Student Eduard Nastase, E.Nastase

Abstract

Over the last few years, science has advanced unprecedentedly in explaining phenomena and facts with a high impact on society: earthquakes for example. On the other hand, new technologies are transforming the way (seismological) information is collected and transmitted to public and other various stakeholders categories. From interactive multimedia content to immersive experiences, difficult concepts become easier to be transmitted and understood by a wide variety of audience, starting with children, a most important part of tomorrowпїЅs society. But what if the aiming is far more than captivating young people or promoting science and scientific results? How can we, scientists, deliver information in such a way that awareness and mitigation comes immediately after or even together with learning and understanding? For a quake-prone country, earthquakes have to be a major and continuous concern, but depending on the recurrence period of damaging events, effective measures for mitigation might not be disregarded but considered as top priority. Romania is a good example, with an average of 2-3 earthquakes with magnitude greater than 7 per century. Although the seismic hazard was recently reevaluated and ranked one in the top of hazards with the greatest impact on population and economy, and also giving that questionnaires indicated that people are most afraid of earthquakes, the preparedness actions are very slow in Romania. One of the reasons lie in the fact that people forgot what an earthquake can do (as they also did prior to the 1940 and 1977 events). That is why special tools are necessary to address the needs for education and awareness in a technologically oriented society. In a world where information delivered through social media travels much faster than seismic waves, scientists need to adapt and be more present as an authoritative and relevant source of information. In this context, a partnership that brings together the unique expertise of geoscientists, visual designers and digital content developers was established, in order to develop and deliver a modern and innovative product: a Mobile Earthquake Exhibition (MOBEE). MOBEE aims to mobilize wide public as well as media and decision makers to increase earthquake preparedness by delivering and wisely spreading earthquake information and scientific explanations related to this natural hazard. The exposition makes use of new digital technologies (mobile apps, mapping tools or touch screen devices) but also explores the interplay between science and art, or more precisely how visual art can help better explain and transmit science concepts and generate new research and visual communication tools about seismic safety.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2017/54/s22.016

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