Isabeau Ottolini

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Isabeau talks about her research, experience as part of PyroLife ITN and future plans.

About Isabeau Ottolini, ESR15
Hello!

I am a PhD candidate at the UOC, and part of the PyroLife project.

Throughout the years, my work within and beyond academia has always evolved around communication and education as tools for societal change; human-nature interactions that are often full of tension; situated in rural communities; and fire as an ever-present transversal theme.

Whenever I’m not doing fieldwork with local communities or writing up my dissertation, you can find me outdoors with my photocamera, using photography as a tool for socioenvironmental storytelling.

Click here to get to know her.

Affiliation
Open University of Catalonia (UOC), with secondments at the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), European Forest Institute (EFI)
Research focus
Wildfire Risk Communication oftentimes happens in top-down, unidirectional ways, whereby experts communicate generic messages on wildfire risk to citizens. However, in times of increasing wildfire disasters, we need to move beyond focusing only on the risk dimension of fire, and instead recognise wildfires as long-term, complex processes that are inherently part of our socio-environmental systems. This understanding calls for more inclusive, situated, and participatory communication on wildfires.

Particularly, my research focuses on Community-led Wildfire Communication. Through an in-depth case study with the association Pego Viu (SE Spain), and interviews with wildfire experts across the globe, my research aims to contribute to, and transform, wildfire communication practices and knowledge.

More about Isabeau´s research here.

Skills and abilities
Participatory Action Research| Community Engagement |Transdisciplinary research | Science communication | Photography and storytelling
Languages
Dutch, English, Spanish, Catalan
Education
Research publications
EU PyroLife Deliverable D17: Toolkit for fostering cocreation and participative community engagement with vulnerable communities at risk – Factsheet with recommendations for policymakers and emergency responders available here.
Other communication outputs
Here is the full overview of all my communication outputs (seminars, podcasts, reports, conference presentations…).
Contact
iottolini@uoc.edu
Social media