Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction

Centre Name: Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction
Chairperson: Prof. Dr Yasuo Tanaka
Description of Centre: Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction (CDRR) was established at UTAR in March 2014. The Centre aims at promoting building of safe & secure societies in Malaysia by carrying out a holistic and proactive disaster risk reduction (DRR) research on both natural and man-made disasters of complex urban societies.

To conduct a holistic DRR study, CDRR functions as a multidisciplinary research centre of UTAR by attracting regular & associate members from multiple departments and faculties of UTAR such as LKC_FES (Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science), FAM (Faculty of Accountancy and Management), FBF(Faculty of Business and Finance), FEGT (Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology), FICT (Faculty of Information and Communication Technology), and FMHS (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences). Also external members collaborate with CDRR.

CDRR is administered by Prof. Dr Yasuo Tanaka as a chairperson, Dr. Ng Teong Kuen @ Wang Chan Chin as a vice chairperson, Ir. Dr. Lee Min Lee as a treasurer, Dr. Koo Chai Hoon as a secretary, and Ir. Woon Yoke Bee as an assistant treasurer. In total, CDRR comprises thirty three members.
Research Area: CDRR conduct its research through a strategic DRR framework to integrate the efforts by multi-stakeholders, and its framework comprises of Risk Assessment, Risk Management, and Risk Communication groups as shown in below:


Fig.1 Research Framework of DRR Research Center and Role in Society

Each research group is further divided into several teams to conduct specific topics of research:

Risk Assessment Group
* Landslide Risk Assessment
* Earthquake Risk Assessment
* Flood Risk Assessment & Early Warning
* Financial Risk Assessment

Risk Management Group
* Urban Planning & Risk
* Emergency Response & Life Savings
* Environment & Health Risk Management
* Traffic Safety & Early Warning
* Risk in Buildings & Constructions

Risk Communication Group
* Culture & Education of DRR in Schools & local communities
* Disaster Preparedness & BCP in Private Sectors
* Disaster Information Sharing & Use of ICT