London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)United Kingdom
Thomas Smith is an Associate Professor in Environmental Geography at the London School of Economics (LSE), specializing in wildland fires, tropical environmental change, and peatland management. He joined LSE in 2018 after lecturing at King’s College London and has held visiting fellowships at institutions including the National University of Singapore and Monash University Malaysia. His research focuses on biomass burning’s role in the Earth system, particularly greenhouse gas emissions from tropical peatlands and savannas. Smith’s expertise includes infrared spectroscopy, wildfire modeling, and land management decision support. He emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to address fire emissions, agricultural practices, and their environmental impacts. Notable awards include being Highly Commended for Research Guidance & Support at the LSESU Teaching Excellence Awards 2019. His recent work involves field experiments (e.g., GAMBUT project) and citizen science initiatives to measure air pollution. Collaborative research spans global wildfire dynamics, climate change impacts, and policy interventions in Southeast Asia’s haze season. Smith contributes to both academic discourse and practical solutions for sustainable land use and climate resilience.
James Rothwell is a Professor of Physical Geography at The University of Manchester, specializing in environmental pollution and hydrology. He leads the MSc in Green Infrastructure and has held senior academic roles including Deputy Head of Geography and Co-Director of the Manchester Environmental Research Institute. His research focuses on urban challenges, microplastics, and peatland ecosystems, supported by over £15M in grants from NERC, EU, and others. He has supervised 8 PhD students and teaches courses on pollution, hydrology, and sustainable cities. Education: PhD (2006) and BSc (2002) in Geography from The University of Manchester. Professional roles include Lecturer (2008-2014), Senior Lecturer (2014-2017), Reader (2017-2019), and current Professorship since 2019. Research interests include green infrastructure for urban flooding, microplastic transport, and heavy metal dynamics in peatlands. Major projects include EU-funded GrowGreen (€11M+) and UK-based flood management initiatives. Over 50 peer-reviewed articles address environmental challenges in cities, peatlands, and global ecosystems. Grants highlight interdisciplinary work across continents, with notable projects like the Manchester Sky Garden Challenge (2024) and studies on peatland restoration. Media coverage includes high-profile reports on UK microplastic pollution in rivers. Teaching spans undergraduate to postgraduate levels, integrating research into courses like Environmental Pollution and Green Infrastructure Planning. Administrative roles include leading admissions and undergraduate programs in Geography.
Tiago Miguel Ferreira is a Senior Lecturer in Smart and Resilient Cities and Structures at the University of the West of England's College of Arts, Technology and Environment (CATE), School of Engineering. He also holds positions as an Invited Associate Professor at the University of Coimbra (Portugal), Visiting Professor at D'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara (Italy), and Associate Researcher at the Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering (ISISE) at the University of Minho (Portugal). Ferreira earned his PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Aveiro (2015), an Advanced Studies degree in Rehabilitation of Built Heritage from the University of Porto (2010), and an MSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Aveiro. As a Chartered Civil Engineer, his academic activity focuses on structural vulnerability of historical buildings and urban areas to natural and anthropogenic hazards, particularly earthquakes, fires, floods, and landslides, with recent emphasis on multi-hazard interactions. His publication record includes over 170 scientific and technical publications, with more than 70 articles in international peer-reviewed SCI journals. Ranked among the top 2% scientists globally for three consecutive years (2021-2023), Ferreira serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief of GeoHazards and Section Editor-in-Chief of Fire journals, demonstrating his leadership in the field. Ferreira has participated in eight R&D projects (four ongoing), currently leading both a CATE College Building Research project on VR environments for pedestrian evacuation after earthquakes and an MIT Portugal research project on multi-hazard risk assessment. His editorial work and extensive publication record show consistent focus on methodological advances in vulnerability assessment across multiple hazard types. Ranked among top 2% scientists globally (2021, 2022, 2023) Carlos Sousa Oliveira prize 2019 for best journal paper International Red Temática Conacyt prize for best research thesis Outstanding Contribution in Reviewing award for Engineering Structures Publons Peer Review Awards 2016 (Top 10% reviewer) Ferreira has supervised 25 Master's Dissertations (23 completed, 2 ongoing) and 10 PhD Theses (5 completed, 5 ongoing), demonstrating strong commitment to academic mentorship. His research projects span multiple European and international collaborations, with particular focus on developing practical methodologies for vulnerability assessment that can be implemented at urban scales. His work bridges theoretical advances with practical applications for improving urban resilience.
Dr. Stavros Sakellariou serves as a Research Fellow (Marie Curie) in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Brunel University London's College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences. His expertise centers on geospatial analysis of natural disasters, particularly wildfires and droughts, leveraging remote sensing and AI for risk management. His educational background includes: PhD in Environmental Hazards Management and Spatial Planning, University of Thessaly (2016) MSc in Geospatial Technologies (Erasmus Mundus Joint Degree), 2016 MSc in Spatial Planning & Development, University of Thessaly (2010) MEng in Spatial Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly (2008) Dr. Sakellariou's research integrates geographic information systems , remote sensing , and artificial intelligence to address wildfire dynamics, drought/flood modeling, and climate change impacts. His work emphasizes spatial decision support systems for disaster prevention and resilience engineering in Mediterranean ecosystems, with significant contributions to early warning frameworks and urban-wildland interface safety. Recent publications reveal a concentrated focus on wildfire risk assessment (40% of works), drought monitoring (30%), and climate adaptation modeling (20%), predominantly utilizing satellite data fusion and spatiotemporal analytics. Key innovations include optimization methods for firefighting resource deployment and vulnerability assessments of agroecosystems. His accolades include: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (FIREWISE project, 2024) 7 national/international scholarships and awards With 11.5 years of teaching experience across undergraduate and master's programs at Greek universities, he has contributed to 8 multi-partner research projects on disaster management. His service includes reviewing for 25+ journals and guest-editing special issues on natural hazards. Current work centers on the FIREWISE project's integrated framework for proactive wildfire resilience.
Dr. Kathryn Goldfarb is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research focuses on the intersections of social relationships, embodied experience, public policy, and scientific knowledge production. She holds a PhD from the University of Chicago (2012) and conducts longitudinal ethnographic work in Japan and the U.S. Her key project, Fragile Kinships: Child Welfare and Well-Being in Japan (2024), examines how family disconnection impacts well-being in Japan’s child welfare system, analyzing kinship ideologies and their ties to national identity. Her current work Knowing Air explores atmospheric data and environmental justice in Colorado’s wildland-urban interface. She collaborates with interdisciplinary teams and community organizations, including the Louisville Historical Museum’s Marshall Fire Story Project. Goldfarb’s work bridges medical anthropology, feminist science studies, and policy analysis, emphasizing how marginalized groups navigate systems of care and environmental inequity. Key Affiliations: University of Colorado Boulder, College of Arts and Sciences Research Themes: Kinship, Child Welfare, Environmental Justice, Embodied Knowledge Notable Projects: Japanese Child Welfare System ethnography, Boulder County Air Quality Initiative
Professor Stefan Doerr is a Personal Chair in Geography at Swansea University's School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics. His research focuses on wildland fire science, soil hydrology, and karst geomorphology. He investigates fire effects on landscape carbon dynamics, soil properties, water quality, and global wildfire patterns. Doerr also studies soil water repellency and its impacts on erosion and hydrological processes. He serves as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Wildland Fire and Associate Editor of SOIL . His work bridges fundamental and applied research, addressing climate change impacts on wildfires and ecosystem services. Recent publications highlight trends in wildfire emissions, post-fire carbon dynamics, and ash chemistry. Collaborations span global fire monitoring, boreal forest resilience, and wildfire-induced water contamination risks. Doerr actively engages in interdisciplinary projects, such as developing wildfire impact assessment tools and post-fire management strategies. He supervises postgraduate research and contributes to civic missions like Oriel Science and the Swansea Science Festival. Current projects include analyzing fire effects on peatlands and temperate ecosystems, emphasizing long-term environmental consequences.
Dr. Lynn Hulse is a Senior Research Fellow in Human Behaviour at the University of Greenwich's School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences. She joined the university's Fire Safety Engineering Group (FSEG) in 2005, focusing on understanding human responses to threats like fires, wildfires, and autonomous vehicle interactions. Her work integrates cognitive psychology, forensic science, and engineering to improve safety protocols. Educated at the University of Aberdeen (PhD in Psychology) and Simon Fraser University (Visiting Scholar), she brings expertise in forensic road collision investigation and justice system reforms. Her research collaborations include fire services in Italy, Corsica, and the UK, emphasizing practical applications of behavioral models in emergency scenarios. Key research areas include evacuation modeling, post-traumatic stress in emergency responders, and cultural differences in disaster responses. Her publications analyze behavioral aspects of wildfires, construction safety, and autonomous vehicle interactions. She contributes to national guidance on emergency preparedness and has pioneered methodologies for collecting survivor testimonies in high-risk environments. Lynn's interdisciplinary approach bridges academic research with real-world safety innovations, addressing both technical and human factors in crisis situations.
Zakary Campbell-Lochrie is a Lecturer in Fire Science at the University of Edinburgh's School of Engineering, affiliated with the Institute for Infrastructure and Environmental Engineering. He holds a PhD in Engineering (Infrastructure & Environment) and an MEng in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Edinburgh. His research focuses on combustion and fire behavior of bio-based materials, particularly in wildland fires, combining theoretical and experimental approaches across multiple scales. He also develops advanced fire science instrumentation for field and laboratory use. Teaching responsibilities include courses such as Principles of the Fire Laboratory (MSc), Mechanical Engineering 2 , and Electrical & Mechanical Engineering 2 . As Cohort Lead for third-year Mechanical Engineering students, he mentors undergraduate education. Research interests emphasize fundamental physical processes in flame spread, fuel bed structure effects, and multi-scale analyses of wildland fires. His work bridges laboratory experiments, field studies, and numerical modeling to improve wildfire prediction and management. Recent studies explore energy flux calibration, peatland ecosystems under fire, and Rothermel model refinements. Professional memberships include an Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. His publications span combustion dynamics, thermal decomposition, and fire radiative power measurement. Current projects aim to enhance understanding of quiescent flame spread in porous fuels and the impact of fuel moisture on fire behavior in northern ecosystems.
Professor Jennifer X Wen is a leading academic in energy and environment safety at the University of Surrey, serving as Chair in Energy and Environment and Head of the Fire and Explosion Modelling Group (FMEG). She previously held professorial positions at the University of Warwick and other institutions since 2000. Her research focuses on numerical studies of safety-related reactive flows, including fire and explosion physics, hydrogen safety engineering, and lithium-ion battery fire hazards. She leads projects using OpenFOAM® for CFD-based model development. Her academic credentials include a BEng and PhD, and she is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng). Notable achievements include launching a liquid hydrogen safety project in 2024 and receiving a prestigious engineering fellowship. She chairs the Institute for Sustainability’s Energy and Environment programme and oversees the FMEG’s work on predictive tools for battery fires and CO₂ dispersion models like CO2FOAM. Research interests span flame dynamics, thermal runaway modeling, and cryogenic hydrogen safety. Recent publications emphasize hydrogen flame acceleration, lithium battery fire hazards, and fire whirl prediction. Awards highlight her contributions to engineering safety and sustainability.
University of the Highlands and IslandsUnited Kingdom
Roxane Andersen is a Professor and Senior Research Fellow at the Environmental Research Institute of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI). Her work focuses on peatland ecology, climate change impacts, and remote sensing applications. She leads projects on peatland restoration, carbon dynamics, and environmental monitoring using advanced techniques like InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar). Her research integrates field observations with satellite data to assess peatland condition, landslide susceptibility, and long-term carbon storage. Key areas include peatland surface motion analysis, wildfire effects, and the impacts of afforestation on biodiversity and carbon budgets. She collaborates with organizations like NatureScot and international institutions on large-scale monitoring initiatives. Dr. Andersen has supervised 7 research projects and contributed to over 84 peer-reviewed publications. Her work addresses global challenges such as climate adaptation, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable land management. She holds an h-index of 23 and has been cited over 2030 times. Her recent projects include analyzing peatland responses to drought, developing restoration protocols for afforested peatlands, and evaluating the efficacy of low-cost wildlife monitoring technologies. She also explores the potential of peatlands as carbon sinks under future climate scenarios.
Dr. Fahid Amin is a Senior Lecturer in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at Teesside University, affiliated with the SCEDT Engineering Centre for Sustainable Engineering. He joined the university in November 2020 after serving as a postdoctoral research associate at Imperial College London (2018–2020) and completing his PhD at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (2011–2018). His academic journey also includes an MSc from Politecnico di Milano (2008–2010) and a BSc from the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore (2003–2007). His research focuses on reducing global pollutant emissions, with expertise in combustion dynamics, smouldering combustion, and optical diagnostics. Key research themes include hydrogen/ammonia biofuel combustion, emission measurement techniques, flame-synthesised nanoparticles, and air quality monitoring. He has conducted extensive experiments on smouldering combustion in peatlands and high-pressure soot morphology studies using advanced diagnostics like multi-angle light scattering and laser-induced incandescence. Dr. Amin’s articles (e.g., studies on peatland wildfires, soot parameters in counterflow flames, and suppression strategies) reflect his dedication to environmental and combustion science. His work has been published in top journals such as Combustion and Flame and International Journal of Wildland Fire . While no scientific awards are explicitly listed, his contributions to sustainable engineering and wildfire mitigation are notable. He is available to supervise PhD students and has experience in lab-scale and field experiments. His work aligns with interdisciplinary efforts to address environmental challenges through combustion science and engineering solutions.
Sally Thompson is an Associate Professor at the University of Western Australia (UWA), affiliated with the School of Engineering and the UWA School of Agriculture and Environment. She holds a position in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering and is part of the Centre for Water and Spatial Science. Her research focuses on environmental engineering, fire management, and biodiversity conservation, with notable contributions to understanding fire regimes and their impacts on ecosystems. Thompson has authored over 150 publications, including articles on interdisciplinary environmental challenges, and has secured 16 grants. She has been recognized with 9 prizes/awards for her work. Her research explores the intersection of fire, water, and biodiversity, aiming to identify sustainable solutions for ecological and water resource management. Thompson’s work has been widely cited (4,521 citations) and is highlighted in policy documents and media, reflecting its real-world relevance. She advises students and collaborates across disciplines, contributing to initiatives like the Centre for Water and Spatial Science. Her academic contributions span teaching, research, and community engagement, addressing critical environmental challenges such as climate adaptation and ecosystem resilience.
Dr Mark Hardiman is a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Geography and Geosciences at the University of Portsmouth, affiliated with the School of the Environment and Life Sciences within the Faculty of Science and Health. His research focuses on Quaternary Science, particularly investigating past environmental changes and abrupt climate shifts through geochronology and wildfire analysis. He specializes in tephrochronology and charcoal-based paleofire reconstructions, contributing to understanding Earth system responses to climatic events. Dr Hardiman has supervised numerous PhD and MRes students, including Dr Margarita Tsakiridou and Dr Paul Lincoln, focusing on wildfire dynamics and environmental transitions in the British Isles and beyond. His work integrates field-based studies with advanced analytical techniques like Bayesian statistics and SEM imaging. Key research areas include: Geochronological frameworks using tephra layers to synchronize environmental records Paleofire reconstructions to assess wildfire roles in geomorphic and climatic events Climate change impacts on Arctic and temperate ecosystems Standardization of charcoal analysis methodologies Recent contributions include global fire regime analyses (2024), Greenland wildfire studies (2022–2024), and Holocene peatland burning investigations (2023). He has advised on UK Arctic policy and contributed to interdisciplinary projects like the RESET tephra lattice initiative (2015). Affiliated with the Institute of the Earth and Environment, his work bridges geoscience, archaeology, and environmental policy, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding Earth's past and present environments.
Guillermo Rein is a Professor of Fire Science at Imperial College London's Department of Mechanical Engineering, part of the Faculty of Engineering. His work focuses on reducing fire-related harm through experimental and computational research. Key areas include polymer and wood ignition, material fire behavior, and wildfire spread mitigation. He leads the Imperial Hazelab, which has produced over 200 journal papers and supervised 24 PhD students. Rein's recognitions include the 2020 Combustion Institute Research Excellence Award and Fellow status in the Combustion Institute. Education : PhD in Mechanical Engineering (UC Berkeley, 2005), MSc (UC Berkeley, 2003), MEng (ICAi Universidad Pontificia de Comillas, 1999). Affiliations : Grantham Institute, Hazelab, Institute for Molecular Science and Engineering. His research integrates lab experiments and models to address global fire challenges. Notable contributions include forecasting wildfire dynamics and understanding smoldering combustion in peatlands. Media appearances include BBC Radio and documentaries like 'Titanic: The New Evidence'. Awards highlight his impact: 2018 SFPE Guise Medal (wildfire engineering) and 2016 Early Career Award (wildland fires). Grants from EPSRC, NIST, and ERC fund his work. Hazelab's projects address fire safety in construction materials, lithium-ion batteries, and urban wildfire resilience.
Claire Belcher is Professor and Chair of Wildland Fire at the University of Exeter, leading the wildFIRE Lab and experimental wildFIRE Laboratory. Her research focuses on the impact of wildfires on ecosystems and Earth system processes, with a particular emphasis on flammability, fire behavior, and climate feedbacks. She is affiliated with the Global Systems Institute and contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 15 (Life on Land). Belcher's work integrates interdisciplinary approaches, including paleobotany, climatology, and ecology, to understand historical and contemporary fire dynamics. She leads a dynamic team including postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, and technicians, fostering collaborative projects across institutions such as Aarhus University and Utrecht University. Her research interests span wildfire impacts on water quality, peatland conservation, and orbital forcing of Jurassic wildfires. She actively engages in policy-relevant studies, such as developing the UK Fire Danger Rating System and addressing climate challenges linked to wildfires. Belcher’s lab also explores the evolutionary adaptations of plants to fire, linking fossil records to modern ecological processes. Notable projects include the 'Great Fuel Moisture Survey,' which combines scientific rigor with community engagement in non-fire-prone regions. Her contributions extend to international collaborations, such as analyzing Indonesian peatland conservation and quantifying global wildfire ash characteristics. Belcher’s advising spans multiple disciplines, with past and current students contributing to diverse fields like fire ecology, paleoclimatology, and environmental management. Her lab’s work is supported by grants focused on advancing wildfire science and sustainable land-use strategies. Highlights include the wildFIRE Lab’s experimental facilities and its role in integrating cutting-edge technologies (e.g., remote sensing) with field studies to address pressing environmental challenges.
