Directorate - Durham University

Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience

Institute Directors

	Professor Bruce Malamud Director & Wilson Chair of Hazard and Risk	Bruce joined Durham University on 1 March 2023, as the Wilson Chair of Hazard and Risk, and the Director of the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience (IHRR),Durham University. Bruce is also affiliated with the Geography Department. His research focuses on multi-hazard interrelationships along with single hazard research in landslides, earthquakes, floods and wildfires. Research sub themes include anthropogenic processes, invasive species, time-series analyses, mathematical models, visualisation, complexity, confronting models with data, and communicating science.
	Kostas Nikolopoulos Co-Director [07/25]	Dr. Konstantinos (Kostas) Nikolopoulos is the Professor in Business Information Systems and Analytics at Durham University Business School. Dr. Nikolopoulos studied Electrical and Computer Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens (ΕΜΠ) in his native Greece (D.Eng. 2002, Dipl. Eng. 1997). He further completed the International Teachers Programme (ITP) at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University (2011). His research interests are Forecasting, Analytics, Information Systems, and Operations.
	Caroline Clason Co-Director [08/25]	Caroline is a glaciologist specialising in glacier hydrology, with interests in both mountain and polar environments. Caroline has a background in geography and environmental science, and has conducted research in multiple regions, from the Arctic to the Andes. Caroline’s recent research focusses on water resources in glacier-fed catchments and the accumulation and transport of contaminants through glaciers systems. Her work applies an interdisciplinary approach to assess the impacts of changing glacier meltwater production for resource security and environmental risk under shifting patterns of climate, land use, and hazard.
	Hailiang Du Co Director [08/25]	Hailiang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. Drawing on his background in statistics, his interdisciplinary research spans meteorology, engineering, physics, and philosophy. His recent work focuses on machine learning, uncertainty quantification, forecast evaluation and interpretation, and climate/energy resilience. He bridges statistical innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration to develop actionable solutions for policymakers and vulnerable communities.
	Greg Lusk Co Director [08/25]	Greg is an environmental philosopher of science who investigates the production, dissemination, and use of scientific information, particularly within climate science. He has recently accepted a new position as an Assistant Professor at Durham University. Greg's previous post was at Michigan State University, where he was jointly appointed in Lyman Briggs College and the Department of Philosophy. Greg earned his PhD from the University of Toronto in September 2015 after which he completed a postdoc at the University of Chicago.
	Professor Fausto Guzzetti Professor of Risk [10/25]	Fausto Guzzetti joined Durham University on 20 October 2025 as Professor of Hazard and Risk at the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience (IHRR). He is a geomorphologist specializing in natural hazards and risk, with a particular focus on geo-hydrological hazards — including landslides and floods — and their consequences in a warming planet. His research and professional interests centre on applying scientific understanding to practical problems and exploring the ethical dimensions of hazard and risk management. Before joining Durham, Fausto served as Director of the CNR Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection, leading a team of over 130 researchers, and as Director General for Technical-Scientific Activities for Risk Prediction and Prevention at the Civil Protection Department, Presidency of the Council of Ministers, where he managed a staff of over 110. He holds a Laurea in Geology from the University of Perugia (1985) and a PhD in Geography from the University of Bonn (2004). More about his work can be found at www.guzzetti.net

Director & Wilson Chair of Hazard and Risk

Bruce joined Durham University on 1 March 2023, as the Wilson Chair of Hazard and Risk, and the Director of the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience (IHRR),Durham University. Bruce is also affiliated with the Geography Department. His research focuses on multi-hazard interrelationships along with single hazard research in landslides, earthquakes, floods and wildfires. Research sub themes include anthropogenic processes, invasive species, time-series analyses, mathematical models, visualisation, complexity, confronting models with data, and communicating science.

Kostas Nikolopoulos

Co-Director

[07/25]

Dr. Konstantinos (Kostas) Nikolopoulos is the Professor in Business Information Systems and Analytics at Durham University Business School.

Dr. Nikolopoulos studied Electrical and Computer Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens (ΕΜΠ) in his native Greece (D.Eng. 2002, Dipl. Eng. 1997). He further completed the International Teachers Programme (ITP) at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University (2011). His research interests are Forecasting, Analytics, Information Systems, and Operations.

Caroline Clason

Co-Director

[08/25]

Caroline is a glaciologist specialising in glacier hydrology, with interests in both mountain and polar environments. Caroline has a background in geography and environmental science, and has conducted research in multiple regions, from the Arctic to the Andes. Caroline’s recent research focusses on water resources in glacier-fed catchments and the accumulation and transport of contaminants through glaciers systems. Her work applies an interdisciplinary approach to assess the impacts of changing glacier meltwater production for resource security and environmental risk under shifting patterns of climate, land use, and hazard.

Hailiang Du

Co Director

[08/25]

Hailiang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. Drawing on his background in statistics, his interdisciplinary research spans meteorology, engineering, physics, and philosophy. His recent work focuses on machine learning, uncertainty quantification, forecast evaluation and interpretation, and climate/energy resilience. He bridges statistical innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration to develop actionable solutions for policymakers and vulnerable communities.

Greg Lusk

Co Director

[08/25]

Greg is an environmental philosopher of science who investigates the production, dissemination, and use of scientific information, particularly within climate science.

He has recently accepted a new position as an Assistant Professor at Durham University. Greg's previous post was at Michigan State University, where he was jointly appointed in Lyman Briggs College and the Department of Philosophy. Greg earned his PhD from the University of Toronto in September 2015 after which he completed a postdoc at the University of Chicago.

Professor Fausto Guzzetti

Professor of Risk

[10/25]

Fausto Guzzetti joined Durham University on 20 October 2025 as Professor of Hazard and Risk at the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience (IHRR). He is a geomorphologist specializing in natural hazards and risk, with a particular focus on geo-hydrological hazards — including landslides and floods — and their consequences in a warming planet. His research and professional interests centre on applying scientific understanding to practical problems and exploring the ethical dimensions of hazard and risk management.

Before joining Durham, Fausto served as Director of the CNR Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection, leading a team of over 130 researchers, and as Director General for Technical-Scientific Activities for Risk Prediction and Prevention at the Civil Protection Department, Presidency of the Council of Ministers, where he managed a staff of over 110.

He holds a Laurea in Geology from the University of Perugia (1985) and a PhD in Geography from the University of Bonn (2004).

More about his work can be found at www.guzzetti.net

Click here to see our Previous Directors and Co-Directors.