Meliora: a podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute
Welcome to the Meliora Podcast from the Sustainability and Resilience Institute at the University of Southampton!
This podcast explores the greatest and most wicked problem that is sustainability, whilst looking at how we are collectively addressing this critical global challenge.
Sustainability needs to be addressed by understanding how the economy, society, culture, politics and environment intersect, and this is the focus that informs each episode of the Meliora podcast.
In each episode, host Professor Simon Kemp and guest hosts are joined by a variety of guests, including academics, students, staff, researchers, alumni, community groups and business leaders.
The aim of the podcast is to shine a light on the vast range of topics surrounding sustainability and to allow listeners to learn about the critical challenges we face, as well as how they can be part of the solution. We also ensure our fantastic students have the opportunity to share their brilliant work with the world.
Podcast host: Professor Simon Kemp, Deputy Director of the Sustainability & Resilience Institute, University of Southampton
Podcast editors: Lily Killner, Sophie Green, Libby Kale, Jack Dinham, School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton
Please do get in touch to discuss this podcast and any of the issues we raise by emailing sri@soton.ac.uk
Follow us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast
Meliora: a podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute
Emma Robson - Assessing the Impact of Volcanic Activity on Submarine Cable Infrastructure to Megacities: Case Study of Jakarta, Manila, Mexico City, Tokyo
In this episode of the Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium we are joined by Emma Robson (BSc Environmental Science) to discuss her Independent Research Project 'Assessing the Impact of Volcanic Activity on Submarine Cable Infrastructure to Megacities: Case Study of Jakarta, Manila, Mexico City, Tokyo'.
As the world becomes more globalised our reliance on communication cables has increased, however the infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable from natural hazards, especially volcanoes. As a result, humanity is becoming ever more vulnerable. Although to what extent is unknown. Therefore, this project aims to assess which Megacity’s and key communication cable infrastructures are most vulnerable from volcanoes within a 100km buffer. The project objectives include producing a map of communication cable infrastructure in relation to volcanoes to establish which megacities can therefore be further investigated. The investigation includes designing, calculating and implementing a vulnerability index for each key megacity’s communications based on cable infrastructure, cable age, volcano elevation, recent volcanic activity and population.
The results are compared against literature to analyse, discuss and evaluate why people/communities/megacities are in such close proximity to volcanoes. Throughout the investigation Manila, Mexico City, Tokyo and Jakarta were analysed. Overall Manila was the most vulnerable Megacity, Mt Taal being the most threatening volcano by a considerable score. This research can be used to help understand where cable infrastructure requires more protection and therefore which populations are most vulnerable to information ‘cut-offs’ in the event of cable damage. In addition, this vulnerability index could be used on a wider scale to measure against volcanoes globally.
The Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2024 Student Takeover Season where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate Students.
Episode Guest: Emma Robson
Episode Host: Prof Simon Kemp
Episode Editor: Jack Dinham
Engage with us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast
