With Stephanie Sodero

Friday, September 19, 2014, 12:00 pm
Junior Common Room, R. Gushue Hall, Memorial University

 

About this Session

In 2010 Newfoundland was hit by Hurricane Igor. The storm disrupted transport networks essential to the movement of people and goods (i.e. road, marine, air), interrupting emergency services, commercial operations, and personal transport. In some cases, alternate transport modes (i.e. helicopters, boats) and routes emerged (i.e. abandoned bridges, cabin roads), while in other cases people and goods were rendered immobile. Drawing on a media scan, stakeholder interviews, and analysis of House of Assembly transcripts, Stephanie's research explores short-term coping mechanisms and longer-term policy responses to Igor in terms of mobility. Specifically, she asks: How do hurricanes highlight areas of social-ecological resilience and vulnerability in transportation networks?

Stephanie Sodero is a PhD Candidate in Sociology at Memorial University. Following studies at Trent University (Bachelor of Environmental Studies 1999) and at Dalhousie University (Masters of Environmental Studies 2001), she was fortunate to work for five years at the Ecology Action Centre in Nova Scotia where she developed a comprehensive Green Mobility Strategy, piloted university and employer transit pass programs, and established a community infrastructure fund. Stephanie went on to research British Columbia’s carbon tax at the University of Oxford (Masters of Geography 2010), and is now pleased to study in beautiful Newfoundland under the supervision of Dr. Mark Stoddart.