Simon McCarthy

Research Fellow

Department: Health and Social Sciences

Simon McCarthy

Contact

Qualifications

BSc (Hons), PGDip (marketing), DipMRS, MSc, PhD. ICPEM.

Research Interests

An interest focused on the interaction between people and their environment (social and physical contexts) has developed from a previous career in commercial brand and advertising social research. At a Masters level he applied psychological research into the cognitive coping processes employed by those affected by flooding. At a doctorate level Simon adopted a sociological perspective in the form of a social construction approach to investigate the issues informing flood experts’ and the publics’ experiences of flooding in the UK. His research within the Centre explores the role of both public and professional social contexts in the communication of flood risk and uncertainty and approaches to participatory interaction in flood risk management.

Current Research:

  • Flood Risk Management Research Consortium 2: development of national uncertainty guidelines.
  • Risk Map: Improving participation and awareness through risk maps (Europe). http://www.risk-map.org/.
  • CapHaz-Net: Social Capacity Building for Natural Hazards Toward More Resilient Societies (Europe).
  • EPI-Water: Evaluating economic instruments for sustainable water management in Europe. (EU FP7
  • RBS Insurance: Pricing decisions and flood defences.

Biography

Simon undertakes both qualitative and quantitative social research within the Centre. Throughout his time at the Centre he has undertaken research on both Phase 1 and 2 of a large multi-agency Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded project, the Flood Risk Management Research Consortium (FRMRC). The research in both phases has involved close working with the physical sciences focused on the communication of flood risk and uncertainty, between professionals and to the public across flood risk management functions. In addition to his involvement in the Centre’s research projects for DEFRA (social justice), Environment Agency (warnings, surface water, mapping) and European Commission (resilience, social capacity building, economic policy instruments). Simon has been the social scientist in a Halcrow / Jacobs / Environment Agency consultation Lower Thames Strategy Study (LTSS) project Phase 3/4 exploring residents’ engagement with flood risk and opinions towards community based flood risk reduction measure plans in the lower Thames.

Simon is course co-ordinator and teaches on the Centre’s Continuing Professional Development course for Environment Agency and Local Authority staff. He is also a training examiner on the Centre’s Visual Asset Condition Grading Program (T98) for flood asset inspectors in England and Wales.

Selected Publications:

Faulkner, H., McCarthy, S. And Tunstall, S, 2010. Flood Risk Communication. In Eds. G. Pender and H.Faulkner Flood Risk Science and Management. Chichester, Wiley-Blackwell, 386-406.

Tunstall,S., McCarthy,S. and Faulkner,H. (2009). Flood risk management and planning policy in a time of policy transition: the case of the Wapshott Road Planning Inquiry. Journal of Flood Risk Management. 2(2): 159-169.

Johnson,C., Tunstall,S., Priest,S., McCarthy,S. and Penning-Rowsell,E. (2008) Social justice in the context of flood and coastal erosion risk management: a review of policy and practice, Defra R&D Technical Report FD2605TR.

McCarthy,S., Penning-Rowsell,E. and Tunstall,S. (2008) Public attitudes to 'community based' small scale flood risk reduction measures in England: A case study in the Lower Thames catchment in Bosher L.S. (ed.), Hazards and the Built Environment: Attaining Built-in Resilience, Taylor & Francis, London ISBN:9780415427296(HB); 9780415427302(PB)

McCarthy,S.S.(2007) Contextual influences on national level flood risk communication.Environmental Hazards. 7(2): 128-140

McCarthy,S.,Tunstall,S., Parker,D., Faulkner,H., Howe,J.(2007) Risk communication in emergency response to a simulated extreme flood. Environmental Hazards. 7(3): 179-192

Parker,D., Tapsell,S. and McCarthy,S. (2007) Enhancing the human benefits of flood warnings. Natural Hazards. 43(3): 397-414

Parker,D., Tunstall,S., McCarthy,S. (2007) New insights into flood warning benefits. Environmental Hazards 7(3): 193-210.

McCarthy,S, Parker,D.J. and Penning-Rowsell,E.C.(2006). Preconsultation social survey, community based flood risk reduction options reach 4: Walton Bridge to Teddington. Flood Hazard Research Centre, Middlesex University, London

McCarthy,S.S. (2004). Definition and experience of flooding: Residents' and officials' perspectives. PhD thesis University of Surrey library and FHRC library.

Invited consultee

  • Paper: Social vulnerability to natural hazards. Association Francaise pour la prevention des catastrophes naturelles (AFPCN). MACIF Paris 24th September 2010.
  • International editorial board 2011 of Acta geographica Slovenica – Geografski zbornik (ISSN: 1581-6613)Environmental Research Funders' Forum consultation on future UK flooding research. London 2009.
  • Welsh Assembly Government (Resilience), Pan Wales Framework for Evacuation and In-Migration. ECC(W) Cardiff 2009.
  • NPIA's (National Policing Improvement Agency) Professional Practice unit 'Command and Control Multi-Agency Workshop' for national police guidance on command and control. Bramshill 2008.
  • Defra Expert group workshop on property-level flood resistance and resilience. Defra London 2008.
  • National media: TV, radio and print in response to national UK flooding July 2007.
  • European Co-Operation in the Field of Scientific and Technical Research Concerted Research Action 731: 'Propagation of Uncertainty in Advanced Meteo-Hydrological Forecast Systems'seminar. WSL Zurich2007.
  • Central Police Training and Development Authority (Centrex) and police Covert & Intelligence Doctrine Team working group on the 'Police National Mobilisation Plan' guidance (ACPO, 2006) in relation to disruptive events. NPIAWyboston 2006.
  • World Meterological Organisation working group on the APFM Technical Document No. 4 (2006) 'Social aspects and stakeholder involvement in integrated flood management' ISBN: 92-63-11008-5. Geneva, 2005.
Bookmark and Share