The US Naval War College, in partnership with the University of Rhode Island Dept. of Marine Affairs, seeks a graduate student (or other researcher with appropriate experience and a graduate degree) to develop and prepare a comprehensive report on storm models, hazards assessment, and war gaming/scenarios. The project will provide an overview of how war gaming and scenario planning environments currently incorporate natural hazards (e.g., storms, wind, flooding, or extreme tides) and the impacts and consequences of such hazards, along with the ways such consequences can advantage (or disadvantage) various functions within the gaming/scenario environments currently in use at the Naval War College, the US Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and other military training facilities.
The final product will include a research report, vignette slides, and a summary precis including recommendations for integrating “consequence thresholds modeling” tools developed in the Marine Affairs Coastal Resilience Lab at University of Rhode Island for this new gaming and scenario audience/application. An overview of the consequence thresholds modeling tool in its current application for emergency management in Rhode Island is attached.
The final report will also include a literature review and findings from interviews with gaming experts from the NWC, the USCG, and the Marine Corps and others. This project may form the basis of a major paper or thesis, although as a U.S. Government deliberative the project deliverables are precluded from copyright. Deliverables will require approximately 200 hours of work over the Spring 2021 semester. Once the final deliverables are received, the researcher will be paid in lump sum of $4,900 by the Naval War College. This project will be overseen by Dr. Hank Brightman, EMC Informationist Chair and Professor, Civilian-Military Humanitarian Response Program, with technical review by Prof. Austin Becker, Visiting Fellow at the US Naval War College and Associate Professor in the Dept of Marine Affairs.
Applicants should submit their CV, unofficial transcript, and letter of interest to Prof. Austin Becker at abecker@uri.edu<mailto:abecker@uri.edu>. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, have strong writing and communications skills, and an interest in natural hazards, policy/planning, gaming/scenarios, and military strategy. A background in any/all of these is a plus and should be highlighted in the letter of interest. Deadline for applications is Feb 12.
For more information, see the Projects One Pager here.
