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The Warning Research Centre (WRC) at UCL is unique in bringing together global expertise to explore the role of warnings in managing vulnerabilities, hazards, risks, and disasters.
Housed within the Department of Science and Technology Studies, the WRC is an interdepartmental centre focusing on all aspects in relation to warnings for all forms of risks and disasters. Founded in 2020, the WRC brings together expertise already established at UCL with warning expertise at universities globally to work with businesses, government, non-governmental, and intergovernmental organisations to address the growing need for effective warning and alert systems via cutting-edge research, policy guidance, applications, and collaborative expertise. WRC will transform research into warnings and alert solutions by being strongly interdisciplinary and innovative.
The UCL WRC will be formally launched in 2021 with upcoming additions here including WRC affiliates, warning resources, news, and social media.
Warnings save countless lives every year, can be used to support day-to-day living and vulnerability reduction, and are often operated by government organisations with legal remits. However, no dedicated Warning Research Centre currently exists to pool research and experience to develop better knowledge and practices, and to share lessons across risks and disasters. The UCL WRC contributes to filling this gap by bringing together expertise from across a range of disciplines, geographies, and social and livelihood contexts to help establish more effective warnings which are more connected to and used by people.
WRC key objectives:
- Establish a global centre of excellence around warnings
- Provide a community for researchers and practitioners to share ideas and develop innovative solutions to complex and real problems
- Provide research expertise, teaching excellence, policy advice, and public engagement in relation to warnings
- Help place warnings on the agenda as a strategies and tools in disaster risk reduction including climate change adaptation as well as sustainable development.
Associate Warning Groups:
The Volcano Alert Level Working Group – part of the World Organisation of Volcano Observatories.
Image:
Fire warning sign near Christchurch, New Zealand (Photo: Ilan Kelman)
Contact us:
Director:
Carina Fearnley
Email: c.fearnley@ucl.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 207 679 4414
Deputy Director:
Ilan Kelman
Email: i.kelman@ucl.ac.uk