Paul Kirshen is Professor at UMass Boston's School for the Environment and founding director of the Stone Living Lab. His research addresses climate adaptation challenges with focus on coastal flooding, infrastructure resilience, and equitable solutions. Research integrates hydrological modeling with socio-economic analysis to develop nature-based adaptations. Recent work through the Stone Living Lab tests innovative coastal protection strategies in Boston Harbor. Publications demonstrate expertise in flood risk management, climate justice frameworks, and urban resource systems. Leads interdisciplinary projects quantifying co-benefits of nature-based infrastructure. Holds affiliate appointments at University of New Hampshire and Tufts University. Community engagement focuses on climate justice in vulnerable neighborhoods like East Boston.
Liem Tran is a Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Earth Sciences at the University of Tennessee. His academic focus lies in Physical Geography and Geographic Information Science and Technology (GIST), with affiliations in the U.S. EPA’s Regional Vulnerability Assessment (ReVA) program. He has been a core team member of ReVA since 2000, contributing integration techniques and distance measures for environmental vulnerability analysis. Dr. Tran holds a Ph.D. from the University of Hawaii. His research emphasizes integrated regional vulnerability assessment, artificial intelligence applications in geographic modeling (e.g., neural networks, fuzzy logic), and GIS-driven spatial analysis. Notable contributions include developing frameworks for ecosystem service evaluation in China and disaster preparedness tools for flooding in rural areas. His work bridges environmental science and public health, addressing topics like healthcare accessibility, sleep disparities, and hospital closure impacts. Teaching focuses include Geography 131 (Natural Environment), GIS, and quantitative methods. He maintains active engagement with environmental justice and health equity through spatial data science. Publications highlight trends in geographic disparities, disaster resilience, and policy-relevant spatial analysis. His interdisciplinary approach combines environmental vulnerability metrics with socioeconomic factors to inform sustainable development strategies.
Christopher Burton is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, Sustainability, Community, and Urban Studies Education at the University of Connecticut. His research focuses on natural hazards risk, vulnerability, and disaster resilience using geospatial and artificial intelligence methods. Education: Ph.D., University of South Carolina (2014) Research Interests: Dr. Burton develops metrics and tools for evaluating interactions in natural, social, and engineered systems that affect disaster losses and recovery. His work integrates spatial analytics, AI, and data mining to address problems in earthquake vulnerability, flood social vulnerability, and community resilience to hurricanes. Publication Trends: His recent publications (2015-2022) emphasize the validation of composite indices for measuring vulnerability (e.g., to earthquakes) and the development of resilience scorecards for urban areas. A key theme is the socio-economic perspective in vulnerability assessment and the spatial distribution of recovery processes. Teaching: He teaches courses including GEOG 2300E (Intro to Physical Geography), GEOG 3530 (Intro to GeoComputing), GEOG 4240/5240 (Disaster Risk, Vulnerability, and Resilience), and GEOG 4519/5519 (Spatial Big Data Analytics).
Lawrence Kryzanowski is a Professor and Honorary Concordia University Research Chair (Tier 1) in Finance at the Department of Finance, Concordia University. He previously held the Senior Concordia University Research Chair in Finance Tier 1 and Ned Goodman Chair in Investment Finance. He serves on the editorial boards of several journals, including the European Journal of Finance and Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences , and was founding chairperson of the Northern Finance Association (1988). Research Interests include corporate finance, capital market regulation, political corruption and risk, natural disaster impacts on finance, behavioral finance, and risk management. His work spans equity eligibility rules, syndicated loans, and asset pricing models. Scientific Awards Barclays Global Investors Canada Research Award (2001) OSFI Award for Excellence in Research (2000) Prix ACFAS/Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (1996) Best Paper Award (tied), Multinational Finance Journal (2000) ASAC Finance Division Best Paper Awards (2024, 2022, 2021) Publications include over 175 refereed journal articles and eight texts, with recent work focusing on investor communications, carbon pricing effects, and political connections in Chinese mutual funds. His articles appear in Journal of Finance , Journal of Financial Economics , and Review of Finance .
Jörn Birkmann is a Professor for Spatial Development and Environmental Planning and Director of the Institute of Spatial and Regional Planning (IREUS) at the University of Stuttgart. Previously, he served as Head of the Section 'Vulnerability Assessment, Risk Management and Adaptive Planning' at the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) from 2007-2014, and as Assistant Professor at the University of Bonn from 2010-2014. He received his PhD in Engineering from the University of Dortmund in 2003 with distinction and completed his habilitation in Geography at the University of Bonn in 2009. His research focuses on vulnerability and risk assessment, climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and adaptive urban governance. He has developed conceptual frameworks for examining vulnerability and risk profiles in the context of natural hazards and climate change, with particular interest in coupled social-ecological systems under climate change conditions. His work spans both quantitative and qualitative assessment methods for measuring vulnerability, resilience, and adaptive capacities of societal groups, critical infrastructures, and regions. His publication record shows a strong focus on empirical studies of vulnerability dynamics, particularly regarding rural-urban linkages in flood-prone areas, heat stress vulnerability in urban settings, and transboundary vulnerability clusters requiring regional cooperation. His research often employs interdisciplinary approaches combining spatial analysis with social science methods to understand complex vulnerability patterns. IPCC Lead Author for Special Report on Managing Extreme Events Member of IRDR Science Committee since 2013 Full member of the Academy of Spatial Research and Planning Editorial Board Member of International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction Recipient of University of Dortmund Dissertation Prize in 2004 Professor Birkmann leads a research team at IREUS that includes several academic staff members who frequently collaborate on publications, particularly focusing on vulnerability assessment in different geographical contexts. His work demonstrates strong international collaboration, with research projects spanning Germany, Pakistan, Greece, Indonesia, and other countries affected by climate-related hazards.
Chris Koliba is the Edwin O. Stene Distinguished Professor at the University of Kansas School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA), where he focuses on governance networks, complex systems, and community resilience. Previously, he served as a Professor at the University of Vermont, directing the MPA program and founding the Office of Engagement. His academic journey includes a Ph.D. from Syracuse University's Interdisciplinary Social Science Program, an MPA from Maxwell School, and a BS in Finance from Whitman School of Business. Research Interests: Koliba’s work bridges governance networks, complex adaptive systems, and critical infrastructure resilience. He employs computational and qualitative methods in domains like water quality, food systems, and disaster response. He has secured significant grants from NSF, USDA, and other agencies. Professional Contributions: He co-founded the SEGS Lab, served at Vermont EPSCoR, and was elected a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration (2023). His awards include the Marshall Dimock Award (2015) and a Regional Emmy for the documentary Saving Our Waters (2018). He teaches courses on public policy, organizational behavior, and science-society interfaces. Service & Engagement: Koliba held leadership roles in NASPAA, the American Society for Public Administration, and local governance. He has collaborated internationally, including as a Fulbright Scholar in Sri Lanka (2015).
David King is an Adjunct Professor of Geography in the Discipline of Earth and Environmental Sciences at James Cook University, directing the Centre for Disaster Studies and the Centre for Tropical Urban and Regional Planning. With 32 years at JCU, his career spans over 120 academic publications and 42 consultancy reports, focusing on disaster resilience, climate change adaptation, and mining social impacts. Education includes a BA (Hons) and PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from Cambridge University. His research bridges applied policy and community needs, emphasizing disaster recovery, social vulnerability, and urban planning. Research themes include natural hazard mitigation, climate adaptation, and mining’s social consequences. Notable work spans 25+ disaster rapid-response studies in Australia and internationally, contributing to policy frameworks. He has supervised 30 PhD and 10 Master’s students, advancing education in disaster management and planning through innovative programs like the postgraduate certificate in Disaster Management. Awarded Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia, his contributions to disaster resilience and climate policy are recognized globally. Key labs/centres include JCU’s disaster-focused institutes and planning units.
Dr. Amanda Stasiewicz is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at San José State University and a member of the Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center. Her research focuses on the human dimensions of wildfire, including wildfire policy, fire-adapted communities, and evacuation planning behaviors. She holds a Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Society from the University of Idaho, an M.S. in Conservation Social Science, and a B.S. in Environmental Science from Siena College. Her research explores how communities and organizations adapt to wildfire risks through policy and program development. Key interests include evacuation preparedness, cooperative wildfire management, and social vulnerability analysis. Dr. Stasiewicz uses mixed-methods approaches, blending qualitative and quantitative social science with spatial data and simulations to address wildfire challenges. Recent publications highlight her work on wildfire evacuation behavior influences, regulatory approaches to land management, and social fragmentation in wildfire adaptation strategies. She teaches ENVS/POLS 124: Introduction to Environmental Law and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to advance wildfire resilience initiatives.
Ashfakuddin Rubel, PhD, is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Economics at the Faculty of Business and Information Technology (FBIT), Ontario Tech University since 2013. He holds a PhD in Economics from York University, specializing in development and environmental economics. His research focuses on development economics, environmental economics, applied microeconomics (with emphasis on gender and women’s empowerment), and policy-oriented analysis. Dr. Rubel has extensive teaching experience, having instructed undergraduate courses across multiple institutions (Schulich School of Business, York University, University of Guelph-Humber) as a part-time lecturer. He also taught economics in the MBA program at Schulich School of Business. His pedagogical interests include linking theoretical concepts to real-world applications, particularly in development economics, natural resource economics, and environmental policy. His research spans topics such as sustainable transportation infrastructure, supply chain resilience, and environmental disclosure policies. Recent work explores multi-objective optimization for EV charging stations, risk-averse supplier strategies, and recovery frameworks for supply chain disruptions. These studies emphasize practical solutions for economic challenges while prioritizing environmental and social equity. Dr. Rubel’s contributions extend to curriculum development and experiential learning initiatives within FBIT, fostering analytical skills in students through data-driven problem-solving. His office is located in the Business and Information Technology Building, Room 2024, North Oshawa campus.
Tim Haney is a Professor of Sociology and program coordinator at Mount Royal University's Department of Sociology, Faculty of Arts. He founded and directed the Centre for Community Disaster Research (2014–2019) and served as the inaugural Board of Governors Research Chair in Resilience & Sustainability (2019–2022). His research focuses on disaster sociology, environmental risks, urban development, and climate change denial. Haney earned his PhD from the University of Oregon, MA from Tulane University, and BA from Ripon College. Education: PhD in Sociology, University of Oregon MA in Sociology, Tulane University BA, Ripon College Research Interests: Disaster response, risk perceptions, post-disaster migration, gender inequalities, fossil fuels, urban development, permaculture, and science rejection. His work analyzes how disasters reshape environmental attitudes and social networks, with funded studies on permaculture practitioners and flood recovery in Alberta. Articles Trends: Haney’s recent work emphasizes climate crisis intersections with gender, social media in disasters, and permaculture’s societal potential. Key themes include environmental justice, urban hazard governance, and pandemic labor dynamics. Awards: MRU Distinguished Faculty Award (2023) Outstanding Teacher Award (2022) SSHRC grants totaling over $300k for disaster research Advising & Grants: Supervises student research, co-authors with students, and integrates fieldwork (e.g., New Orleans service-learning). His grants include SSHRC-funded studies on flood recovery (2013–2017) and permaculture (2020–2022). Labs/Teams: Leads the Centre for Community Disaster Research, collaborating with government agencies like Alberta’s Emergency Social Services Network. His work bridges academia and community resilience initiatives.
Ron Jay P. Dangcalan serves as Assistant Professor of Human Ecology and Political Economy at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, College of Human Ecology, Department of Social Development Services. As Internal Vice President of the Human Ecology Institute of the Philippines, he bridges academic theory with community-focused development practice. Research examines environmental governance complexities, particularly the intersectionality of disaster mortality, climate adaptation, and natural resource management. Fieldwork addresses mining policy impacts, community resilience, and socio-ecological systems in vulnerable regions. With nearly a decade of development experience, he has led projects for UNICEF, Asian Development Bank, and Indonesian research consortia examining cross-national disaster response frameworks and policy implementation challenges.
Dr. Madhav Nepal is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Architecture & Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of British Columbia and has extensive academic qualifications in construction engineering and project management. His research focuses on Building Information Modelling (BIM), sustainable construction practices, project lifecycle management, and infrastructure asset management. Dr. Nepal has supervised numerous postgraduate research projects, including work on BIM implementation, power plant risk assessment, and e-tendering readiness in construction. Education: Ph.D., Civil Engineering (Project & Construction Management), University of British Columbia (2011) M.Sc., Building (Project Management), National University of Singapore (2004) M.Eng., Civil Engineering (Construction Engineering & Management), Asian Institute of Technology (2001) His research interests span BIM integration in construction workflows, ICT applications for sustainability, and risk modeling in large infrastructure projects. Recent work emphasizes machine learning applications for urban sustainability and ontology-based risk management in public-private partnerships. Dr. Nepal actively contributes to teaching units like Project Management Principles (BEN610/PMN610) and Managing Project Cost (BEB113). His publications highlight innovations in BIM adoption frameworks, cost overrun risk assessment methodologies, and safety inspection technologies using mobile computing. Supervision highlights include doctoral work on BIM-GIS infrastructure frameworks and cost overrun modeling in power plants. He has collaborated on interdisciplinary projects addressing nonconformity in construction supply chains and smart building technologies for UAE prisons.
Scott Arthur is a Professor at Heriot-Watt University’s School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, and affiliated with the Institute for Infrastructure & Environment. His career spans over three decades, beginning with a PhD on sewer sediment transport (1992–1996) at the University of Abertay, followed by postdoctoral research on siphonic roof drainage systems at Heriot-Watt. Since 2000, he has held academic roles in Civil Engineering, focusing on urban water systems. He leads research in Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), flood risk mitigation, and sewerage asset management, supported by EPSRC grants and industry partnerships. Arthur’s research interests include optimizing urban water cycles, debris-induced flood risks, and hydraulic performance of drainage infrastructure. His work has influenced international standards (UK/USA) for roof drainage and contributed to academic literature, including peer-reviewed articles on sediment dynamics, blue-green infrastructure, and water distribution networks. He has supervised datasets on ecosystem services and infrastructure resilience, such as the Blue-green options survey (2021). Key contributions include pioneering models for siphonic drainage systems and methodologies for sewer blockage profiling. His research aligns with UN SDGs 6 (Clean Water), 11 (Sustainable Cities), and 13 (Climate Action). Recent studies (2021–2025) address water storage tanks, pandemic impacts on water demand, and carbon footprint reduction in urban systems. Arthur’s grants include EPSRC funding for FRMRC II and collaborations with institutions like SNIFFER. He has authored/co-authored over 114 publications, with notable works on SUDS pond ecosystems, flood resilience, and infrastructure carbon footprints.
Claire Lindsay is an Associate Professor in Supply Chain at Heriot-Watt University, affiliated with the School of Social Sciences and Edinburgh Business School. She serves as Head of Research for the Marketing and Operations Department (on sabbatical 2024-25), focusing on Research Strategy, Governance, and Staff Development. Her expertise spans healthcare supply chains, operational improvement, and sustainable procurement, particularly analyzing how legal/policy initiatives translate into procurement practices. She teaches Global Procurement and Operations Management at post-graduate levels. Education: PhD in healthcare improvement (2016), prior to which she worked in FMCG and retail supply chain roles. Professional activities include roles with the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) and former leadership in the British Academy of Management’s Operations, Logistics & Supply Chain Management SIG (2018–2022). Research interests emphasize public sector improvement, sustainability in procurement, and resilient supply chains. Current projects explore diversity integration in procurement. Her work bridges academic research with practitioner engagement, collaborating with NHS Scotland/England, National Services Scotland, and Scottish Courts. Awards include Best Developmental Paper (2018, 2012), Best Development Paper 2020, and Highly Commended Development Paper (2019). She actively participates in workshops/webinars on sustainability, academic-practitioner relations, and editorial activities. Advising: Open to PhD students in public sector improvement, sustainable procurement, and resilient supply chains. Grants and funding details not explicitly listed but implied through research collaboration engagements. Labs/Teams: Engaged in interdisciplinary research teams addressing healthcare operations, sustainable logistics, and policy-implementation gaps in supply chain management.
Tor N. Tolhurst is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University (MSU), affiliated with the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources. He holds a PhD from the University of California, Davis (2020). His research focuses on applied microeconomics, particularly tail events—rare but impactful occurrences affecting agricultural systems. Key areas include risk analysis, resilience strategies, and policy implications of extreme weather and market disruptions. His work bridges theoretical econometrics with practical applications in agriculture and environmental policy. Education: PhD in Agricultural Economics, University of California, Davis (2020) Research Interests: Quantitative analysis of rare events (e.g., extreme weather, market shocks) Risk management strategies in agricultural systems Economic impacts of technological adoption (e.g., genetically engineered seeds) Pesticide regulation and environmental justice Market bubbles and speculative behavior in commodities/wine Recent Work Trends: Recent publications (2020–2025) emphasize econometric methods applied to agricultural policy, pesticide regulation, and climate resilience. His 2025 studies on Canadian crop yields and NFL pass rates highlight interdisciplinary approaches. California-focused analyses (pesticide regulations, commodity markets) reflect regional policy relevance. Advising & Grants: No formal advisee list is provided, but his role as faculty implies graduate student mentorship. No grant details are explicitly listed in the text. Affiliations: Active in MSU’s Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, contributing to academic and extension programs.
