What is the Knowledge Exchange for Resilience?

What is the Knowledge Exchange for Resilience?

Convening community and university leaders to create data-driven solutions for heat resilience.

During a one-week stretch in June 2017, the average high temperature of Phoenix was 113 degrees, peaking at 119 on June 20. On four days of that week the temperature never dropped below 90, even in the dead of night. Not surprisingly, 2017 saw the greatest number of heat-related deaths in Maricopa County at 155.

Science suggests summer temperatures will continue to rise, threatening individuals’ health, well-being and economic security, particularly affecting older adults and families with children. It is what we do in the face of this long-term stressor that will make a difference for the communities most affected.

One thing we plan to do is to strengthen our community resilience.

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust and Arizona State University share a core belief in the value of and the need for a community resilience framework

capable of adapting to the changes of the 21st century. Supported by a $15 million grant, we have formed the Knowledge Exchange for Resilience (KER).

This initiative will work to build community resilience in the face of social and economic stresses. By embedding in the communities of Maricopa County and tapping the expertise of research scientists, citizen scientists, community members and partner organizations, we envision a community resource destined to collectively address pressing issues and needs, fostering positive change and building resilience.

KER’s prototype phase tracked people’s exposure to heat and the strategies they use to survive the 110-degree days and 90-plus-degree nights through a citizen science project called HeatMappers. We studied communities that include people who struggle to make ends meet and

“This grant allows us to build a boundary-spanning organization that sits with one foot in the university and one foot in the community, where everybody can get engaged in working together to solve the questions of how to be most resilient.”

— Michael M. Crow, ASU President

who have to decide, on a daily basis, if they can afford to turn on the air conditioning.

Through sampling the heat exposure of roughly 70 people who live in Phoenix — HeatMappers data helped us assess the strategies they use at the individual level to survive the heat, and find the gaps that exist at the community level that may impede safety and well-being.

Local governments of Maricopa County and organizations like AZCEND, the Salvation Army and the Utility Assistance Network partnered with us on this project.

The Knowledge Exchange for Resilience works to bring everyone together across all sectors to make the community more resilient. A unique power resides within the “knowledge exchange.” It provides the opportunity for community members to be partners in every stage — from identifying issues to data collection, decision making and implementation.

The combination of information, knowledge, diverse viewpoints and open discussion will powerfully enhance the collective ability to make informed decisions and plan for the community’s future.

Change is constant, but it doesn’t have to be devastating. Change can, in fact, strengthen our communities, provided we are prepared for it.

Featured article

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust gained regional recognition for their resilience efforts from Philanthropy Southwest. Their partnership with ASU to launch KER was featured in the article "Piper Trust and Arizona State University Launch the Knowledge Exchange for Resilience—a $15 Million Initiative to Help Strengthen Maricopa County’s Community Resilience."

Available at tinyurl.com/kjv3rbef