The Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction conducts research in disaster risk reduction and resilience, around the following three themes.
Investigating the science, socioeconomics, and politics behind hazards, vulnerabilities, risks, and disasters, through measurement and modelling using multidisciplinary approaches ranging from anthropological to digital technologies.
- Primary data collection from the natural environment (earth, air and water)
- Primary data collection from social, economic, cultural, and political environments
- Construction characteristics and damage and loss metrics of housing and infrastructure
- Modelling drivers of risk and disasters
Understanding individual and multi hazards, cascading effects, vulnerability and risk, their interactions and dynamics, and implications.
- Use quantitative and qualitative data to assess loss, damage, and wider impacts on people, sectors, communities, systems, and the environment.
- Investigate the implications for economic development in the long and short terms.
- Analyse how risk and disaster are experienced differently based on a range of factors including socio-economic, demographic, governance, and historical, and pre-existing inequalities.
Innovative interdisciplinary application of techniques to improve disaster risk reduction, resilience, and humanitarian response management.
- Disaster risk management
- Supporting planning and anticipatory action
- Communicating risk
- Collaborative thinking and ideas
- Educating future leaders
Climate change and adaptation
Understanding climate change risks, especially for those marginalised, and adaptation through capacity building, developing institutions and incentive structures.
Conflict and migration
Investigating violence, conflicts and their consequences, the forces behind displacement, (im)mobility and wider human rights and humanitarian concerns.
Health and social risks
Understanding, tracking, and communicating health and social risks through interdisciplinary methods and digital tools.
Inclusion and politics
Developing awareness of and responsiveness to gender, intersectionality, inclusion, and wider politics in the contexts of risks, vulnerabilities and disasters.
Natural hazards and risks
Understanding geological and meteorological hazards, multi-hazards, and developing ways to mitigate disaster. Risk and uncertainty quantification and communication, catastrophe modelling.
Warning, resilience and finance
Planning for and managing disasters and humanitarian crises through warning systems, resilience management, shelter and housing, disaster risk finance, micro-finance.
Our Researchers
All academic staff in the department undertake research, and we welcome visiting researchers from around the globe.
Educating Leaders – RDR Student Research
Our undergraduate and Master’s students contribute to the department’s research community, producing prize-winning dissertations and original projects based on rigorous analysis. RDR students demonstrate leadership and are prepared for impactful careers as influential practitioners in the humanitarian and disaster risk reduction sphere.
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Contact Us
Please get in touch if you have any questions about our research or would like to collaborate.
Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction
Click to email. rdr-enquiries@ucl.ac.uk