Raghid Shehayeb

Doctoral Thesis

Working title:
Indicator-Based Drought and Heat Risk Assessment of Urban Green and Blue Spaces

Supervisors:
Prof. Dr. Jochen Schanze, Technische Universität Dresden
Dr. Regine Ortlepp, Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development

IOER Research area:
Built Environment - Resources and Environmental Risks

Abstract: 
Drought and heat hazards pose a great threat to urban areas including its green and blue spaces (GBS), whereas climate change is expected to increase the intensity and frequency of these hazards. Acknowledging that resilient GBS are key to sustainable urban development, this study aims to assess the drought and heat risks for urban GBS with multi-level spatio-temporal indicators. This is achieved by: (1) Developing a concept for the interconnected drought and heat risk system referring to urban GBS; (2) deriving a multi-criteria indicator-based tool to be used for the joint drought and heat vulnerability and risk assessment of urban GBS; (3) Implementing and testing the tool by assessing the vulnerability and risk for the selected urban areas. The first phase of the study will conceptualize the drought and heat risk systems by identifying the elements and processes that lead to consequences on the urban GBS and describing the interrelationships. In the second phase, a set of vulnerability and risk descriptors with resilience as its core, are developed based on environmental, social, and economic aspects. A systematic literature review is used to identify the relevant indicator(s) for each descriptor and their respective thresholds creating a multi-criteria assessment tool. Subsequently, in phase 3, the assessment tool is tested in two study areas and the vulnerability of the urban GBS with its spatio-temporal variability will be assessed. The risk is then calculated from the vulnerability indicators in combination with drought and heat hazard indices. A multi-criteria evaluation is used to evaluate the current risks and the risks under potential alternatives. The results are expected to support decision makers in effectively managing the drought and heat risks of urban GBS under changing conditions.

CV

Education

03/2021-present
Doctoral Student at TU Dresden, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Dresden, Germany.

09/2018-12/2020
Studies in Integrated Water Resources Management, Technische Hochschule Köln
Academic Degree: Masters of Science.

09/2010-06/2015
Studies in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Beirut Arab University, Lebanon.
Academic Degree: Bachelors of Engineering.

Experiences

10/2020-01/2021
UNU-FLORES /Research Assistant Intern
Providing research and organizational support within several ongoing UNU-Flores projects: Water management in the textile industries; International Water Colloquium: Cooperation in water management; SMART-WaterDomain.

08/2016-08/2018
Khota Ashabab Org./ Project Coordinator
Working as a consultant for Khota Ashabab NGO in Aley, coordinating with GIZ/CPS to develop a strategic plan for the Khota Ashabab, facilitate meetings, provide workshops, co-plan projects and activities, and proposal writing

02/2018-07/2018
Modern University for Business and Science/ Teaching Assistant (Part-time)
Support the main professor in multiple teaching roles including content delivery, further explanation of required tasks, correction of reports and examination, and preparation of presentations.

Awards

Doctorate Scholarship, Dresden Leibniz Graduate School (DLGS) 

Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) by the Project Management Institute (PMI)

End of Study Scholarship by the Department of International Affairs, TH Köln

MSc. Exchange Scholarship by Center for Natural Resources and Development (CNRD)