The Emergence of Transdisciplinary Research and Disaster Science

Abstract

This article intends to bring attention to the emerging specialty of disaster science (DS), as well as to introduce a newly created system of computer simulation to facilitate transdisciplinary integration that would allow for the interphase of computer simulation platforms developed by scientists in the different professions engaged in the study of disasters. The next section discusses the origins of DS and the characteristics of the scientists using the concept, then reviews of some of the DS interpretations, then presents systematicity, a new philosophy of science perspective that allows for the methodical comparison of the various disciplinary specialties interested in the study of disasters, and that can facilitate the creation of a transdisciplinary style of research. The article concludes with the description of the computer simulation program Simple Real-Time Infrastructure, which is designed to facilitate transdisciplinary collaboration.