The post is available for a fixed-term duration of 6 months (530 euros/month).
UMR LAMSADE at Paris Dauphine University are seeking a highly motivated research assistant (intern) to carry out research in the area of hydrology and risk analysis and more specifically to construct a Flood Risk model using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and/or hydraulic modelling (e.g., HEC-RAS).
Project description
As a result of climate change and increasing urbanization, watersheds are now more exposed to flooding. This internship is part of an exploratory research project that will assess flood risk and resilience criteria of a watershed routinely affected by flooding (Vésubie, Southeast France).
Suggested steps:
1. Step 1. Watershed vulnerability
• Identify homogeneous zones
• Define criteria (e.g. population density, population pyramid, presence in a flood hazard area, topography).
• Calculate a vulnerability score for the homogeneous areas (4 colours: Red, Orange, Blue, and Green) for three-time scenarios: Present, 5 years, 10 years).
2. Step 2. Risk Ranking
• Use the same rule for defining homogeneous zones.
• Define the criteria (e.g. number of events that have taken place on the territory, material and human losses).
• Rank the zones (Scoring – 4 Levels).
3. Step 3. Overflow probability
• Cut the watercourses into channel sections
• Identification of the criteria characterizing the possibility of channel sections to overflow.
• Calculation of a level of a channel section overflow capacity.
4. Step 4. Final risk assessment
• Vulnerability, risk and possibility of overflow.
• Final aggregation
Desired candidate attributes
• Ability to work independently
• Fluent in English
• Excellent academic writing skills
• Master’s degree in Hydrology/Engineering/Geography
• Advanced knowledge of GIS, knowledge of HEC-RAS, FLO-2D or any MCDA software is a plus
• Desire to pursue a PhD
Expected outcome
In addition to writing a thesis, the intern will have to:
• Submit an article in an international scientific journal
• Present in an international conference
• Assist to the writing of a PhD research proposal
