Sponsored by the Shanghai Society of Hydraulic Engineering (SSHE) and jointly organized by the Department of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering of Tongji University, Shanghai Dike (Pump and Gate) Construction and Operation Center and Shanghai Institute of Disaster Prevention and Relief (SHIDPR), a science communication campaign themed on "Resilient City—Water Safety" was staged on May 12 as a part of the CPC centenary celebrations and the 13th National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Day celebrations, in an effort to further arouse the public concern for urban water safety, to enhance the public awareness of disaster prevention, to communicate the scientific knowledge about water safety, and to heighten urban resilience and safety. This event was attended by more than 80 participants, including directors and staff members from Shanghai Association for Science and Technology, Shanghai Water Authority, Shanghai Dike (Pump and Gate) Construction and Operation Center and other relevant authorities, river protection volunteers and other social figures.
Science communication campaign themed on "Resilient City—Water Safety"
Hosted by Prof. LIU Shuguang, Director of SSHE Flood Prevention Committee and professor at the Department of Hydraulic Engineering of Tongji University, the Science Communication Workshop featured a string of insightful keynote speeches titled "Disaster Risks in Shanghai (Starting from the Comprehensive Risk Survey of Natural Disasters)", "Lessons Learned from and Reflections on the Overlord-level Cold Wave" and "Smart Flood Prevention and Mitigation", which were delivered respectively by Prof. LIU Min from the School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Prof. HU Qunfang from SHIDPR, Tongji University, and Professor-level Senior Engineer ZHENG Xiaoyang from Shanghai Flood Control Information Center. These speeches further enhanced the public awareness of disaster prevention and mitigation by highlighting the significance of urban water disaster risk prevention under the new situations and Shanghai's pivotal measures to fortify its solid foundation for water safety risk prevention and control. Afterwards, participants actively interacted with the speakers.
Professor LIU Min delivering a speech
Professor HU Qunfang delivering a speech
Professor ZHENG Xiaoyang delivering a speech
In the meanwhile, through the disaster reduction science popularization stand set up by Huangpu District Emergency Management Bureau at Shanghai Confucian Temple, student volunteers from the Department of Hydraulic Engineering of Tongji University and volunteers from Shanghai Dike (Pump and Gate) Construction and Operation Center joined hands to impart urban water safety knowledge to some 500 citizens and elementary and middle school students. By explaining scientific knowledge, answering questions of public concern and distributing publicity leaflets, this science communication campaign got citizens clued up on the characteristics of the flood disasters in Shanghai and the flood control efforts put in by the government, thereby significantly enhancing the public awareness of disaster prevention and mitigation.
Volunteers publicizing the scientific knowledge about urban water safety
An official from SSHE likened the campaign to the prologue of SSHE's CPC centenary celebrations, adding that SSHE would further set in motion a wide array of science communication activities in tandem with Tongji University and other universities and authorities, thereby bringing into shape a long-acting mechanism and effectively enhancing people's awareness of and capacity for water disaster risk prevention.
https://news.tongji.edu.cn/info/1003/77578.htm
