Collaborative Research: Geo-engineering Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) Association: Turning Disaster Into Knowledge

记录和学习极端事件后的观察是非常宝贵的，以推进国家的最先进的和国家的实践中的多灾害工程。记录的观察结果作为基准，我们了解这些事件的影响，其潜在的成因机制，并验证设计程序。捕捉这些观察结果对于推进专业发展至关重要。目前，地球工程地震勘测协会进行震后勘测。在成功开发了地震后侦察的创新技术后，该协会正在扩大其范围，以包括其他自然和人为灾害。其使命的扩大反映在其新名称中：地球工程极端事件侦察（GEER）。虽然震后勘察仍然是一项中心使命，但我们认识到，GEER成员已经有效地参与了记录其他极端事件（例如，世界贸易中心大楼倒塌和飓风卡特里娜和丽塔）。GEER在开发创新技术和协议方面处于领先地位，用于对其他自然和人为灾害的破坏性影响进行侦察。极端事件产生的许多数据和信息都是易逝的，因此必须在事件发生后几天或几周内收集。在国家科学基金会的支持下，仍然有真实的需要组建战略地球工程调查小组。在最近的侦察工作中采用的许多创新技术，如使用数码相机、GPS设备、PDA、遥感和数字制图，都是由GEER成员开发的。GEER能够迅速召集有经验的和新的地质工程师，这是无与伦比的。然而，通过在下次活动之前进行更好的协调，通过继续开发技术和培训青年专业人员，这些努力正在得到改进。通过与其他已经开发出有效程序的专业人员合作，并与其他社区分享这项研究的结果，极端事件的未来有害影响将被最小化。该奖项为GEER管理和勘察活动的继续提供资金，其新的扩大范围是对重大地球工程相关灾害进行快速反应调查。预计平均每年将对一至两起中等规模的事件进行调查。在发生重大灾害时，将派遣一个小型快速反应小组，以确定所需反应的规模，以便能够迅速提出增加资金的请求。

Documenting and learning from observations following extreme events are invaluable to advancing the state-of-the-art and the state-of-the-practice in multi-hazards engineering. Recorded observations serve as benchmarks to our understanding of the effects of these events, their underlying causative mechanisms, and for validation of design procedures. Capturing these observations is critical to advancing the profession. Currently, the Geo-Engineering Earthquake Reconnaissance Association performs post-earthquake reconnaissance. Having succeeded in developing innovative techniques for post-earthquake reconnaissance, the association is broadening its scope to include other natural and human-made disasters. This broadening of its mission is reflected in its new name: Geo-engineering Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER). While post-earthquake reconnaissance continues to be a central mission, we recognize that GEER members have already participated effectively in reconnaissance efforts that document geotechnical effects of other extreme events (e.g., World Trade Center Towers collapse and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita). GEER is well positioned to provide leadership in developing innovative technologies and protocols for performing reconnaissance of the damaging effects from other natural and human-made disasters. Much of the data and information generated by extreme events is perishable and therefore must be collected within a few days or weeks of the event. There continues to be a real need for assembling strategic geo-engineering survey teams with NSF support. Many of the innovative techniques employed in recent reconnaissance efforts, such as use of digital cameras, GPS devices, PDAs, remote sensing, and digital mapping, were developed by GEER members. GEER's ability to rapidly assemble experienced and new geo-engineers is unmatchable. However, these efforts are being improved through better coordination prior to the next event, through continued development of technologies, and training of young professionals. By joining with other professions who have also developed effective procedures, and sharing the results of this research with other communities, the future detrimental effects of extreme events will be minimized. This award provides funds for continuation of GEER management and reconnaissance activities under the new expanded scope of providing quick response investigations of major geo-engineering-related disasters. It is expected that an average of one or two investigations of moderate sized events would be conducted per year. In the event of a major disaster, a small quick response team would be dispatched to determine the magnitude of the needed response so that a request for additional funds could be quickly submitted.