UCL Risk and Disaster Reduction annual report 2026

Introduction

Welcome to our 2026 annual report. This year, we strengthened our role as a global community committed to understanding risk, reducing disaster impacts and improving lives. Across our research, teaching and partnerships, we continued to ask difficult questions, challenge assumptions and work collaboratively to create meaningful change.

As UCL celebrates its bicentenary, radical and critical thinking and being committed to the long-term benefit of humanity remain as pertinent as ever. The department’s research, education, innovation and enterprise reflect these aims.

Our research spanned climate change and adaptation, conflict and migration, health and social risks, inclusion and politics, natural hazards and risks, and warning, resilience and finance. We secured major new funding across these themes — from climate‑resilience monitoring in Southeast Asia to crisis preparedness, disaster attribution and digital public health. Our researchers contributed to international policy processes, including the IPCC, and shared evidence with governments, humanitarian organisations and global partners working to build resilience.

Our public engagement programme continued to grow. Our events brought together students, practitioners and the wider public to explore emerging risks, disaster preparedness and risk communication, among other topics. We were also proud to host the 16th UCL Risk and Disaster Reduction annual conference, which created space for colleagues, partners and guests to imagine a more resilient future for cities around the world.

Our students and alumni remain at the heart of our mission. We are proud to see graduates shaping practice across government, humanitarian organisations, the private sector and academia. Our alumni board brought fresh ideas to how the department operates. We expanded opportunities for learning through new modules, fieldwork and skills‑focused teaching, and continued to grow our public seminar and taster lecture programme.

We also welcomed new colleagues who bring fresh expertise and energy to our community. Vathani Mariampillai, Education Administrator, and Patricia Marques Guerreiro, Internships and External Engagement Officer, joined our professional services staff. Among staff supporting research projects, we welcomed:

• Md Touhidul Islam, Research Fellow in Genocide Diplomacy
• Iva Pencheva, Research Fellow in Global Health and Sustainability and Centre Manager
• Mhari Gordon, Research Fellow in Community and Infrastructure Resilience
• Krisno Nugroho, Research Assistant in Resilience to  High-Impact, Low-Probability Events

Thank you for being part of our community and for supporting our work to reduce disaster risk and improve lives.

Professor Joanna Faure Walker
Head of Department