Kaori Kitagawa

Dr Kaori Kitagawa serves as Associate Professor in Education at University College London's IOE - Education, Practice & Society. With over 15 years of teaching experience across diverse socio-cultural contexts, she leads the master-level module 'Reimagining disaster education: perspectives and methodologies' and supervises dissertations in the MA Education and International Development Cluster. Her academic work bridges comparative education and disaster risk reduction (DRR) through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Her research centers on disaster education as a broad concept encompassing formal and informal learning for DRR. Key interests include:

• Community engagement and participatory approaches to disaster preparedness
• Public pedagogy in disaster contexts
• Lifelong learning frameworks for resilience
• Comparative analysis of DRR practices across cultural settings
• Indigenous knowledge systems in disaster management
• Politics of disaster preparedness

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals a consistent focus on community-centered DRR methodologies. Her work increasingly integrates computational approaches like agent-based modeling while maintaining emphasis on inclusive, culturally-sensitive frameworks. Key thematic clusters include flood risk communication, school-based DRR programs, and positionality in participatory research with indigenous communities.

Her scientific recognition includes Higher Education Academy Teaching Fellowship. Notable research contributions are supported by grants from the Anglo-Japan Daiwa Foundation, UCL Global Engagement Funds, UKRI-funded 'Transforming Universities for a Changing Climate', and University of East London's 'AEvac-PAR' project.

Teaching leadership includes developing innovative curriculum for disaster education and supervising graduate research. Her work connects theoretical frameworks with practical applications through participatory action research methodologies across British and Japanese contexts.