RDR Monthly Event: Inaugural Lecture - Professor Mohammad Shamsudduha
RDR Monthly Event: Join us as Dr Mohammad Shamsudduha (Shams), Professor of Water Crisis and Risk Reduction, delivers his inaugural lecture at UCL.
RDR Monthly Event: Inaugural Lecture - Professor Mohammad Shamsudduha
13 May 2025, 18:00 – 20:30
How Data-Driven Science Transforms Lives: Spotlight on Water Security
Over two decades, Professor Shams’ innovative use of data has advanced scientific understanding of critical groundwater challenges, including arsenic and salinity contamination, and groundwater-level dynamics. His research has driven government investments in groundwater monitoring infrastructure, uncovered health risks posed by arsenic and salinity, and promoted sustainable solutions for food security and development.
Professor Shams will share how his work has made groundwater – a hidden resource – more visible, using data to reveal its importance, risks, and potential. From mapping arsenic hotspots to predicting salinity trends and monitoring water levels, this lecture showcases how data-driven science can transform lives and create a more sustainable future. It’s a story of resilience, innovation, and the power of research to address global challenges.
Join us for an inspiring talk on how Professor Shams’ research evolved from geoscience and physical geography to tackling water crises and risk reduction, focusing on his 18-year journey with UCL that began with his doctoral studies in 2007. This lecture highlights key moments that shaped his work, focusing on his data-driven research in groundwater science, particularly in Bangladesh.
About Shams
Dr Mohammad Shamsudduha (Shams) is a Professor of Water Crisis and Risk Reduction in the Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction (RDR) at UCL. His research focuses on water security, sustainable water management, and climate and disaster risk reduction worldwide, with a particular emphasis on South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
A recognised leader in hydrogeology, he is an active member of the International Association of Hydrogeologists, and the American Geophysical Union. He serves as a Scientific Advisor for the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, and Watershed Investigations, and is a Co-Chair of the South East and London Water Alliance.
He has published over 75 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals, including Science and Nature, accumulating more than 8,000 citations. His contributions to the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report and editorial roles in Scientific Reports and Frontiers in Water highlight his influence in global water research. His work bridges geoscience, climate and disaster resilience, and humanitarian action to develop sustainable water solutions worldwide.
Professor Shams joined UCL in 2021 as an Associate Professor in Humanitarian Science and was promoted to Professor in 2024. Previously, he served as a Lecturer in Physical Geography at the University of Sussex from 2019 to 2021 and currently holds an honorary Associate position there. From 2012 to 2019, he worked at UCL as a Research Fellow, Teaching Fellow, and Project Manager. He completed his PhD in Geography at UCL (2007–2011) with funding from the Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Award and the Wingate Geography Scholarship.
This event is free, but registration is required.
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Cost
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