Amy Donovan

Prof Amy Donovan is the Professor of Environmental Geography and Fellow of Girton College at the University of Cambridge, Department of Geography. Her research bridges human and physical geographies of risk, focusing on volcanoes, landslides, and disaster resilience. She leads the ERC-funded IMAGINE project and collaborates globally with institutions in Korea, China, Latin America, and East Africa.

Education

• PhD in Geography (2010), Emmanuel College Cambridge
• MSc Geophysical Hazards (2007), UCL
• B.A. English (First Class, 2001), Emmanuel College Cambridge

Research Interests

Her work examines societal interactions with scientific uncertainty in precarious environments. Key themes include:

• Volcanic risk governance across borders
• Science diplomacy in geopolitically sensitive regions (e.g., DPR Korea)
• Cross-disciplinary disaster risk reduction strategies

Grants & Awards

• ERC Starting Grant (2019-2024)
• Leverhulme Trust Fellowship (2012-2015)
• PI of IMAGINE project analyzing volcanic risk in Latin America/Africa

PhD Supervision

Current advisees include Ellen Kujawa (transboundary risk policy), Owain Smith (Chilean volcanism), and Ainsley Trahan (heat warning systems in India). Over 10 students have completed under her supervision.

Key Projects

• Mount Paektu Geoscientific Group collaboration with North Korea/China
• LANDSLIP consortium (NERC-DFID funded landslide research)
• Tomorrow’s Cities hub reducing disaster risks for urban poor

Awards

Recipient of the 2015 HEA Fellowship and multiple NERC/ESRC grants. Recognized for contributions to science diplomacy and interdisciplinary risk research.