Dr. Szarzynski developed a specific interest in people-centered and impact-based Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems and Early Actions triggered by the devastating “Indian Ocean Tsunami” in 2004, and his involvement as Senior Researcher and Coordinator of the Capacity Building Unit for the German Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System (GI-TEWS) (https://www.dlr.de/eoc/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-11882/20871_read-52667)
at the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
More recently, Dr. Szarzynski took the lead for two larger scientific projects funded through the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) which are both part of the larger “Early Warnings for All Initiative (EW4ALL) of the United Nations (https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/early-warnings-for-all):
1. Consolidating and accelerating the Network of Centers of Excellence (NoE-2) in support of Disaster Risk Reduction, Early Warning and Anticipatory Action in Africa - Phase II;
2. Assessment of early warning systems in four Indian Ocean Islands States (IOC-EWS).
The overall objective of the NoE-2 project is to consolidate and accelerate the Network of Centers of Excellence (NoE) in support of Disaster Risk Reduction, Early Warning and Anticipatory Action (AA) in Africa and to support the coordinated use of AA throughout Africa to reduce disaster risk effectively and equitably. The NoE will provide sustained technical-scientific assistance to African DRR and DRM institutions at the level of AUC, RECs and Member States strengthening their capacities for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Disaster Risk Management (DRM), including trans-boundary risk management. The network will enhance efforts of DRR/DRM institutions on the continent to mitigate, prevent and build resilience of African states to natural hazards. During phase II, priority will be given to capacity development in the domain of MHEWS for Early and Anticipatory Action for most recurring and devastating hazards, including flood, cyclones, flash floods and drought. The NoE project contribution will be piloted in West, East and Southern Africa with a specific focus on activities of Member States.
Regarding the IOC-EWS project, UNDRR is implementing the program “Resilience building and Disaster Response Management in the Indian Ocean (RDRM-IO)”, together with the Indian Ocean Commission and PIROI (Indian Ocean Regional Intervention Platform), co-funded by the European Union in partnership with IOC. The program aims to reduce disaster and climate related losses in the human, economic, social, physical and environmental assets of IOC member states.
Kruiver, P.P., de Zeeuw-van Dalfsen, E., Assink, J., de Vries, H., Doornbos, E., Keizer, I., Brotons Blanes, M., Savelberg, L., van den Homberg, M.J.C., Witvliet, B.A., Szarzynski, J., Manzella, I., Alkema, D., (submitted): Multi-hazard dashboard for Caribbean islands – first design. Conference contribution to the 8th International Conference on Energy and Environmental Science (ICEES 2024), Chongqing, China.
Joubert, M., Heunis, C., Ncube, A., Szarzynski, J. (submitted): Social work mental health and psychosocial support to vulnerable groups during COVID-19 in Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, Free State, South Africa. Conference proceedings, ASASWEI Conference 2021: Pandemics, poverty and inequality: Social work in the 21st century. Submitted.
Schneiderbauer, S., Fontanella Pisa, P., Delves, J., Terzi, S., Bustillos-Ardaya, A., Szarzynski, J. (2024): Mountain Riskscapes: incorporating complex realities of dynamic social ecological systems into disaster risk reduction. In: Alexey Gunya, Fausto Sarmiento (Eds) Mountain Lexicon - A Corpus of Montology and Innovation (in print).
Panchi Robles, S., Barragan, F., Yassen, A. O., Ncube, A., Heunis, C., Membretti, A., Szarzynski, J. (2023): The impact of COVID-19 and Sustainability Governance in three different Mountains Regions of the world – An intercontinental comparison. In: Schneiderbauer, S., Fontanella-Pisa, P., Shroder, J., Szarzynski, J. Eds. (2023): Safeguarding Mountain Social-Ecological Systems. A Global Challenge: Facing Emerging Risks, Adapting to Changing Environments and Building Transformative Resilience in Mountain Regions Worldwide. Elsevier.
Fanchiotti, M. & Szarzynski, J. (2023): Preparing for and responding to the environmental dimensions of emergencies and crises in mountain areas: Insights from the United Nations. In: Schneiderbauer, S., Fontanella-Pisa, P., Shroder, J., Szarzynski, J. Eds. (2023): Safeguarding Mountain Social-Ecological Systems. A Global Challenge: Facing Emerging Risks, Adapting to Changing Environments and Building Transformative Resilience in Mountain Regions Worldwide. Elsevier.
05/2022 – present Appointed member of the WHO Simulation Exercises Technical Advisory Group (SETAG), Geneva, Switzerland.
09/2016 – present Associate Professor, Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa (DiMTEC), University of the Free State (UFS), Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Bloemfontein, Republic of South Africa; Website: http://www.ufs.ac.za/natagri/departments-and-divisions/disaster-management-training-and-education-centre-for-africa-home.
11/2015 – present Member of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) Team. UNDAC is part of the international emergency response system for sudden-onset emergencies. It is designed to help the United Nations and governments of disaster-affected countries during the first phase of a sudden-onset emergency.