Confirmation of Candidature - Candidate : Haith Jalloub

Flood resilience and mitigation have become a worldwide concern, especially in areas at a high risk of natural disasters like Australia. Despite many researches on flood management, there is an underestimation of social infrastructure indicators to strengthen community resilience. This paper is aimed to close the gap by focusing on the influence of social infrastructure on flood mitigation and resilience in Australia, during the 2011 Queensland floods and the 2022 New South Wales floods. The study is built on acknowledging the very significant relationship between physical and social structures in disaster management. The study aims at assessing how the current flood resilience strategies and the government interventions are working to ensure that a holistic approach that integrates social factors is embraced. The study uses an integrated approach which includes community participation, support networks, institutional coordination, education programs, and government policies. The key research questions will direct the inquiry into the awareness of the community, on-site mitigation measures, and interventions by the government as a way to enhance the flood resilience. By means of a detailed review of related studies, including case analyses of the previous flood events, the study discovers the gaps in the current research which are devoted to assessment of the maintenance and end-of-life indicators of the flood mitigation infrastructure and social resilience factors. Different stakeholders were consulted to better understand the nature and function of social infrastructure indicators such as the residents from New South Wales and Queensland and the relevant government officials. The data will be collected in a wide range through semi-structured interviews and surveys. The analysis will be conducted using relevant statistical measures and thematic analysis, for the qualitative and quantitative data respectively. The proposed research provides a breakthrough in flood management strategies such as social indicator inclusion in policy formation and disaster response plans. Through spotlighting the complex connections between the social and physical infrastructures, the research study aims to offer workable advice for the policymakers, disaster management entities, and communities to devise resilient and sustainable flood resilience plans.

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