Emma Houiellebecq (PhD Student, University of Cambridge, Department of Engineering; Independent Consultant)
Register here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/martincentre/1421338?
Abstract
The humanitarian sector is increasingly challenged in its ability to meet growing humanitarian needs. In contexts of protracted fragility, repeated cycles of crisis are eventually resulting in the degradation of critical infrastructure, which impedes the delivery of essential services such as water and electricity. Greater efforts are needed to strengthen the resilience of essential services in these contexts; however, strengthening resilience first requires a holistic, systems-level understanding of how the systems work and how they are influenced by external factors. This talk presents the development and application of a systems mapping approach in Venezuela, Gaza, Lebanon, and Ukraine to assess the delivery of essential services and identify potential resilience-building interventions.
Bio
Emma Houiellebecq is a PhD Candidate at the University of Cambridge, Department of Engineering. Her doctoral research explores how systems-based approaches can enable more strategic decision-making in protracted humanitarian crises, with the ultimate aim of strengthening the resilience of essential services. Prior to her PhD, Emma worked as an engineer and project manager with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other NGOs primarily in Gaza, South Sudan, and Uganda. Emma is a 2016 and 2021 Gates Cambridge Scholar and the recipient of UBC's 2022 Global Citizenship Award