Research
The Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction conducts research in disaster risk reduction and resilience, around the following three themes.
- What causes risk and disaster?
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
- What are the consequences 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.
- Catalysing change
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
Research Areas
Our Researchers
All academic staff in the department undertake research, and we welcome visiting researchers from around the globe. Find out more about our research experts.
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. Find out more about our students' research.