Bruce Malamud

Professor Bruce D. Malamud is a Visiting Professor in the Department of Geography at King’s College London, affiliated with the School of Global Affairs. He holds roles in the Environmental Dynamics Centre and the Centre for Integrated Research on Risk and Resilience. His research focuses on natural hazards (wildfires, earthquakes, floods, landslides), multi-hazard interrelationships, time series analyses, and communicating science to stakeholders.

• Education: BA in Physics (Reed College, 1986), PhD in Geophysics/Stratigraphy (Cornell University, 1998)
• Prior roles: Former member of the Department of Geography (2000–2022), President of the Natural Hazards Division (EGU, 2007–2011), Executive Editor of Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences

Research Interests

Malamud’s work emphasizes understanding and modeling multi-hazard systems, including wildfire regimes, landslide susceptibility, and compound climate hazards. He employs statistical and computational methods, such as fractal analysis and cellular automata, to study environmental processes. Key focuses include:

• Quantifying hazard interactions and cascading effects
• Developing frameworks for spatial-temporal risk assessment
• Improving disaster resilience in urban and vulnerable regions

Recent Research Trends

Recent articles highlight methodologies for identifying compound hazards (e.g., wind-precipitation extremes in the UK) and applying multi-hazard frameworks in Nairobi, Istanbul, and Kathmandu. His work bridges geophysics, environmental science, and policy to address global challenges like climate change and pandemic response in informal settlements.

Awards & Recognition

• European Geosciences Union Service Award (2012)
• Teaching Excellence Awards (King’s College London, 2003/04 and 2013/14)
• NERC/EPSRC Fellowship (2001)

Grants & Projects

Co-investigator on projects such as the GCRF Urban Disaster Risk Hub and the E-MoRF project on resilient futures mapping. Led studies on landslide susceptibility in India and forecast-based disaster preparedness.

Labs & Collaborations

Associated with the Physical & Environmental Geography research group, Risk, Hazard & Society group, and King’s Water Centre. Collaborates internationally on initiatives like the SINATRA project on flood susceptibility and the Plinius Conference on Mediterranean storms.