About the IRDR

The UCL Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction (IRDR) inspires innovation and evidence-based practice focused on improving disaster risk reduction (DRR) through our research, education, and partnerships. This creates a better life for many people by reducing the negative impacts of disasters.

Led by Professor Joanna Faure Walker, the IRDR is an exciting cross-UCL department, which leads research, knowledge exchange and teaching in the fields of risk and disaster reduction and humanitarian action. By providing a focus for UCL’s activities, with its breadth of disciplinary emphasis, promotion of novel multidisciplinary research and translation into practice, the IRDR aims to achieve leadership both in the UK and internationally.

The IRDR is an academic department in the Faculty of Mathematics and Physical Sciences, but works across all UCL’s faculties, spanning natural and social sciences, mathematics and statistics, engineering and development planning, global health, anthropology, the humanities, ethics and laws, and contributes to UCL’s Grand Challenges.

Since its launch in 2010, the department has grown swiftly and now has 32 academic and research staff, two of whom are jointly appointed with other departments (Statistical Science and the Institute for Global Health), 13 project staff and 10 members of professional services staff. There is a PhD population of 40, three Master's programmes with about 90 students, and 200 undergraduate students studying on the Global Humanitarian Studies BSc degree programme.