Dr Ilan Kelman

Senior Research Fellow

CICERO
P.O. Box 1129
Blindern, Oslo
Norway
N-0318

Research Expertise

Ilan Kelman researches links amongst risk, disasters, vulnerability, and sustainability, for which individual and community health are important components. He works on projects related to fatalities in explosive volcanic eruptions, especially from pyroclastic flows and ashfall; fatalities in and health effects of floods; and the role of emergency shelter in protecting a displaced population's health, communities, and livelihoods. His particular interest is islands and other isolated geographies (see www.islandvulnerability.org) due to the challenges which arise when such locations face disasters.

Specifically related to volcanic health, Dr Kelman determines the risk and suggests options for dealing with it. Specific examples of activities are examining how people die in volcanic eruptions, how buildings might protect them, and how people react mentally and physically to different variables. Dr Kelman also investigates emergency management aspects such as the resources available to treat ash-induced breathing difficulties or burn victims.

Relevant Publications

Kelman, I. and T.A. Mather. 2008. Living with volcanoes: The sustainable livelihoods approach for volcano-related opportunities. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, vol. 172, no. 3-4, 189-198

Spence, R., Kelman I., Brown, A., Toyos, G., Purser, D. and Baxter, P.J.. 2007. Residential Building and Occupant Vulnerability to Pyroclastic Density Currents in Explosive Eruptions". Natural Hazards and Earth Systems Sciences, vol. 7, 219-230

Spence, R., Kelman, I., Calogero, E., Toyos, G., Baxter, P.J., and Komorowski, J.C. 2005. Modelling Expected Physical Impacts and Human Casualties from Explosive Volcanic Eruption, Natural Hazards and Earth Systems Sciences, 5, 1003-1015.

Spence, R., Kelman, I., Baxter, P., Zuccaro, G. and Petrazzuoli, S. 2005. Residential Building and Occupant Vulnerability to Tephra Fall, Natural Hazards and Earth Systems Science, 5, 477-494.

Etkin, D., M.T. Vázquez, and I. Kelman. 1998. "Natural Disasters and Human Activity". Written for the North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation (NACEC) under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). See www.cec.org/pubs_docs/documents/index.cfm?varlan=english&ID=629 for the final report.

Kelman, I. and B. Karney. 1998. "Technology, Volcanoes, and Us". A presentation and abstract at the 23rd Annual Hazards Research and Applications Workshop held in Boulder, Colorado from 12-15 July 1998 by the Natural Hazards Research and Applications Center in Colorado.