INTRODUCTION
The Jeremy Collymore Award for Research in Humanitarian Response and Disaster Risk Management seeks to support innovative and insightful research for improved emergency response and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in the CDEMA Participating States.
The Award will be presented biennially, commencing in 2017, at the Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management to be held in Nassau, The Bahamas on December 4 – 9, 2017.
The Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) is the Region’s premier event on disaster risk management organized by the Coordinating Unit of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) in collaboration with its partners. The Conference is the Region’s largest gathering of professionals and experts in the field of disaster risk management. It is one single space where experts from across priority sectors and key thematic areas meet and share knowledge on best practices. Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) is the region’s brand of Disaster Risk Management and contributes to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), a blue print for global actions in DRR. In that regard, the Conference is an endorsed regional event of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) and is structured to strategically influence niche audiences, promote good practice, share ongoing research and chart the way forward for the advancement of CDM in the Caribbean. The Conference theme for 2017 is “The Road to Resilience: CDM Check Point 2017 – Building Resilience through Partnerships”.
THE HONOREE
Mr. Jeremy Collymore was the first Coordinator of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) established in 1991 as the lead CARICOM regional agency for disaster emergency response coordination. One of his major pioneering achievements included championing and leading the paradigm shift of regional disaster management thinking from a response tradition to a Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) approach. CDM is a proactive and holistic perspective encompassing all hazards, all sectors of society, the disaster management cycle and all people. The adoption of the CDM approach by CARICOM in 1991 also resulted in Jeremy Collymore overseeing the transition of CDERA to CDEMA (Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency) in 2009 and being appointed as the first Executive Director of CDEMA a position in which he served until 2013.
During his more than 20 year tenure leading disaster response coordination, Mr. Collymore strongly promoted and advocated for the need to build and strengthen disaster resilience in the Caribbean, which is regarded as the world’s second most hazard prone region. He has written extensively on response operations and disaster risk management in the Caribbean, and has made numerous appearances on regional and international platforms to share his experience and knowledge of best practices, challenges and lessons learnt for a resilient and sustainable region. His passion and advocacy continue even now.
This award is therefore a fitting honour and tribute to Mr. Jeremy Collymore in recognition of his outstanding and sterling contribution to the CDEMA system and to disaster risk management in the Caribbean region and beyond.
ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS
This Award opens opportunities to individuals who are academics, scientists, practitioners and students (at the graduate level) engaged in research pertinent to disaster risk management and humanitarian response. The
Award aims to contribute to enriching the existing body of knowledge, capacity building and best practices in disaster management in the Caribbean region. First consideration will be given to citizens or residents of the 18 CDEMA Participating States.
NOTE: Current employees of the CDEMA Coordinating Unit are not eligible for this award.
CRITERIA FOR AWARD
This award is granted in support of research that has the potential to significantly impact humanitarian and/or disaster risk management actions to the benefit of the disaster management practice and the people of the Caribbean.
The area of research identified must support one of the four priority areas of the Regional Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy, namely:
- Institutional Strengthening
- Knowledge management
- Sector mainstreaming
- Community Resilience
Additionally, the following will be considered:
- Quality of research proposal,
- Experience and competency in the area of research,
- Published research on the subject in peer reviewed and professional/discipline journals,
- Presentations on the subject at academic or professional conferences, and;
- Demonstration of feasible application of proposed research.
CONDITIONS OF AWARD
- Recipient must commit to commence research within one year of being awarded and complete work within two years thereafter.
- Recipient must agree to present research findings at the 11th biennial Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management.
- Recipient must be accepted by or enrolled in or employed at a research institution; alternatively the recipient may be employed in the field of humanitarian response or disaster risk management.
AWARD PRESENTATION
The inaugural Award will be presented to one individual at the 10th Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management in Nassau, The Bahamas December 4-9, 2017.
The recipient will receive a plaque and monetary contribution to support research in the discipline.
METHOD OF APPLICATION
- Candidates must submit applications using the nomination form provided.
- Applications are to be supported by two (2) letters of recommendation describing the candidate’s experience and competency in the area of research.
- Letters of recommendations should not exceed 500 words and should be submitted along with the nomination form.
- All applications must include the Curriculum Vitae of each candidate.
SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION
All applications are to be submitted via electronic mail (email). The email address for submissions is
Please click here for application form.
Deadline for applications is September 29th, 2017 at 11:59PM (EST)
SELECTION PROCESS
The recipient will be selected by a panel of judges whose decision will be final.
IMPORTANT DATES
Deadline for Submission: September 29, 2017
Presentation of Award: December 8, 2017
Presentation of Paper at the 11th CDM Conference: December 2019
For inquires and clarifications, you may contact the Conference Coordinator at