Are you a passionate researcher eager to make a real difference?

Do you want to use your skills to help communities to prepare for disaster?

We harness the power of experiential learning and games to empower individuals and communities and help them be prepared for disaster. We’ve crafted two engaging learning experiences that spark interest and propel action. We know that people love playing these (in-person) games, consistently report learning valuable insights, and intend to take action upon returning home. What we don’t know is:

Do they actually do anything?

This is where YOU come in! We’re looking for a highly motivated researcher — possibly a Master’s or PhD student — to design and implement a study to evaluate the short-term impact of our wildfire learning experiences.

What You’ll Do

• Develop a compelling research question: You can keep your scope focused on our immediate question, “Does participating in one of our learning experiences affect what people think, do, or talk about in the month or so after playing?” Or you can delve into a broader question around wildfire
  risk perception, preparedness behavior, the effectiveness of experiential learning in community education, or even questions around methods for measuring behavioral change.
• Design a rigorous research study: Develop the methodology, design data collection instruments, oversee data collection, and lead data analysis.
• Have fun gathering data: Recruit participants and gather initial data at a variety of fun community events where people play our games.

What Awaits You

• Make a difference: Your work will directly contribute to CCL’s mission of building disaster-resilient communities.
• Real-world research experience: Design and implement a study from the ground up.
• Creative collaboration: Work alongside experienced facilitators and researchers at CCL.

Bonus Perks

• Access to a ready pool of participants: We have connections with numerous communities and events in the San Francisco Bay Area, significantly simplifying recruiting..
• Funding potential: We can work together to find funding to support your research. (If you’re interested in wildfire and at a US university, this grant is a possibility.)
• Publication potential: We’re happy to collaborate on research papers and reports.

Are you ready to make a difference?

We are! The 2024 community event season has already started, so the project can start as soon as you’re ready. We’d like to have data by October when events wind down.