Research 2024-25

Funding highlights

New and renewed grants powering our research:

• UNRISK: Understanding Uncertainty to Reduce Climate Risks: Professor Mohammad Shamsudduha co‑led UCL’s successful NERC Doctoral Focal Awards submission, advancing climate, data and decision science to reduce risks from rapid climate change.
• Urbanisation meets the environment: Dr Stefan Leeffers is leadin a Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia project on urban–environment interactions.
• Scoring warnings: Professor Ilan Kelman is collaborating on an AHRC‑funded project using artistic practice to explore emergency communication.
• Cultural traction: Dr Aeron O’Connor is co‑investigator on a UKRI Metascience grant studying research culture across UK universities.
• Imagining Coastlines: Professor Ilan Kelman co‑won a Geological Society grant for an artist collaboration pilot envisioning East Anglia’s coastal futures.
• British Academy International Writing Grant: Dr Punam Yadav is leading a project building capacity and mentoring early career researchers from the Global South.

These projects exemplify our mission to combine fundamental research with practical, community-led solutions.

Advancing impact: knowledge exchange and policy engagement

Research translated into guidance for decision‑makers:

• Climate Science Research Network (CIREN): Dr Shipra Jain was appointed to the Scientific Steering Committee of UCL’s new interdisciplinary climate science network.
• Accountable Adaptation at COP29 and the Green Climate Fund: Dr Jonathan Barnes represented UCL at COP29 in Baku and at the Green Climate Fund Board in Incheon.
• A safer home for children: Dr Sonja Ayeb‑Karlsson’s research informed a Swedish Ministry of Justice bill to strengthen child protection.

Research dissemination and specialist engagement

Sharing expertise with academic and technical audiences:

• Climate modelling and AI: Dr Shipra Jain presented her research on climate risk and adaptation at a UK FCDO workshop in India.
• Consequences of Shocking the System: Dr Rozana Himaz shared comparative disaster research at a UCL Institute of Advanced Studies event.

UCL grants awarded

• Tomorrow’s Cities, UN‑Habitat collaboration: Professor Mark Pelling, Dr Roberto Gentile and Dr Thaisa Cornelli secured UCL funding to support urban resilience research in partnership with UN‑Habitat.
• EXGROM, Expert Engagement in Groundwater Management: Professor Mohammad Shamsudduha is leading a UCL Public Policy award project enhancing water and food security in Bangladesh.
• Global engagement seed funding: Dr Punam Yadav is leading a peacebuilding initiative with Colombian diaspora communities in exile.
• Leveraging bottom‑up food markets: Dr Estella Carpi is exploring food sustainability in London’s local and migrant communities.
• Map & Drill: Professor Mohammad Shamsudduha is enlisting citizen science to improve water well placement in Ethiopia.
• CADANCE, Consequences of Adaptation for Democratic AdvaNCE: Professor Mark Pelling is co‑leading a project measuring democratic gains from climate adaptation interventions in Leeds.