“In the second episode of Season 2, Helen Sharman, Britain’s first astronaut, explores how science and technology help us plan for and mitigate Black Sky Events. Modern day systems are so interdependent that serious disruption of any major service or supply network could cascade into them all and create a so-called Black Sky Event. So how can science and technology make our infrastructure more resilient in the face of these challenges?
Helen is joined by Avi Schnurr, the CEO and President of Electric Infrastructure Security (EIS) Council, which leads discussion, research and collaboration for global resilience planning with senior executives, key government and NGO stakeholders across all sectors. Avi founded EIS Council to help bridge resilience gaps for hazards on all scales, treating the black sky problem with a systematic, systems engineering approach. Avi says, ”Hoping for the best is not a plan.”
The Zero Pressure podcast series looks at how science and technology positively can contribute to solving complex, interrelated global challenges of today and tomorrow. We look at pioneering technologies and speak to those on the thinking edge.
Zero Pressure is a podcast from Imperial College London and Saab. A relaxed conversation with those on the cutting edge of science and technology – hosted by Britain’s first astronaut Helen Sharman – Presented by Imperial College London and Saab.”
The Interconnected Threat Landscape: Why Siloed Responses Fail
A cyber incident disrupts an energy operator. Power loss affects mobile networks and digital services. Emergency teams struggle to coordinate, while transport delays hold up fuel and repair crews. This is how cascading crises develop: a disruption that begins in one system spreads through the services that depend on it. This is the interconnected threat […]
Five Crises That Rewrote the Rules of Resilience, and What the Next One Will Demand
On 12 May 2017, hospital staff across England reached for patient records and found locked screens instead. The risk wasn’t new. Neither were many of the vulnerabilities exposed by the crises that followed. We have accumulated years of reports, inquiries, and recommendations on how to protect critical infrastructure. Yet the distance between identifying a risk […]
Infrastructure Stress Testing: Grid Forecasting Is Not Enough In This Heat
When temperatures rise, the first concern is usually public health. That is understandable. Extreme heat can put lives at risk, especially for older adults, outdoor workers, medically vulnerable communities, and people without reliable access to cooling. But heat also tests the systems behind daily life. Electric grids face higher cooling demand. Hospitals may see more […]
