Sustainable Society Thesis prize awarded to research on earthquake-related issues
Social-Spatial Planning Master’s student Marten Hoekstra won the Sustainable Society thesis prize yesterday. His thesis, ‘Groningen Sendai-gereed?’ [Is Groningen Sendai-proof?] won him the € 1000 prize. In his research he concludes that the Groningen situation can be referred to as a disaster due to the social problems as a result of earthquake-related issues.
The new model should take social consequences into account
For his research, Hoekstra investigated whether the Programma Aardbevingsbestendig en Kansrijk Groningen (PAKG, Earthquake-proof and Promising Groningen Programme), founded to tackle the earthquake problems, has sufficient grassroots support. He converted the PAKG in his thesis into a Disaster Risk Management (DRM) model with two streams – a social line and a spatial-social line. If one of these lines is interrupted, we can speak of a disaster.
Hoekstra claims that the social line is interrupted in Groningen because there are insufficient measures in place to counteract the concerns of the inhabitants. This is why the current Groningen DRM model is not regarded as successful by managers, affected parties and society. He concludes that a model with a fully embedded social line would offer a better solution for the earthquake-related issues than the current model.
Sustainable Society thesis prize
The Sustainable Society thesis prize was inaugurated this year by the UG in collaboration with the Province of Groningen. A scientific jury chose three candidates from among the entries, who presented their theses yesterday in the Statenzaal of the Province of Groningen. A social jury headed by Eelco Eikenaar, a member of the Provincial Executive, selected the winner. The jury praised Hoekstra for his well-written thesis and clear presentation. Its management recommendations also makes Hoekstra’s research socially relevant.
Second and third prizes went to Andries de Vries and Nicky Schulz, respectively.
More information
Sustainable Society research focus
Sustainable Society anniversary film
| Last modified: | 19 September 2023 10.24 a.m. |
More news
-
23 April 2024
From battling against the water to living with the water
Margo van den Brink, associate professor of Water and Planning, says that we should adapt our spatial design to the changing climate. This implies difficult choices have to be made because the space is limited and the needs are great.
-
16 April 2024
Investors consider region a risk
Investment in real estate appears to be an important explanation for the gap between big cities and the region, argues Michiel Daams, associate professor of Economic Geography of the Real Estate Market. He conducted research on investments in the...
-
28 March 2024
Felix Pot wins Van der Knaap Dissertation Prize from Royal Dutch Society of Sciences and Humanities
Felix Pot has won the prestigious Van der Knaap Dissertation Prize from the Royal Dutch Society of Sciences and Humanities. He receives this award for his research on the perceived accessibility in rural areas, on which he defended in his...