Hazards and Disaster Management MSc: Who teaches this course

• Staff teaching on this course

The Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing teaches this course. The Faculty's wide selection of undergraduate and postgraduate courses covers a diverse range of subject areas, from aerospace to geography; from maths and computing to biotechnology; and many more. Our collaborative set-up provides new opportunities for our students, and we design our courses with industry professionals to ensure you stay up to date with the latest developments.

Geography, Geology and the Environment

The School of Geography, Geology and the Environment prides itself on the high quality of its teaching, as recognised by the excellent and satisfactory awards in various subject reviews undertaken by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) on behalf of the Higher Education Funding Council.

The School has invested in developing its labs for both teaching and research, including:

• facilities for environmental monitoring, geology, geochemistry, and mapping/GIS/computing; and
• specialist instrumentation laboratories (eg nuclear metrology; laser raman spectroscopy; and 3D mapping).

Dr Neil Thomas

Title: Course director (Hazards and Disaster Management MSc)
Specialist subjects: Neil's main interests are in the use of geophysical monitoring in risk assessment and disaster mitigation for earthquakes, volcanic hazards and tsunami. He is also developing a research theme in pre-event education and community preparedness programmes for these geophysical hazards.
Email: n.thomas@kingston.ac.uk 

Dr Norman Cheung

Title: Senior lecturer
Specialist subjects: Norman's main interests are:

• tropical meteorology and climatology, particularly in tropical storms/hurricanes, monsoon and El Niño-Southern Oscillation;
• climate variability;
• natural hazards; and
• risk and disaster management. 

Email: k.w.cheung@kingston.ac.uk

Dr Scott Bryan

Title: Lecturer

Research fields: Scott's key research activity is in volcanic processes, in particular:

• the causes and mechanisms of volcanic eruptions, and resultant processes of tephra dispersal; and
• the effect of eruptions on global climate and the environment.

His current research involves documenting some of the largest explosive eruptions in Earth history and submarine explosive eruptions from the Tongan island arc
Email: s.bryan@kingston.ac.uk

Professor Gavin Gillmore

Title: Head of School
Email: g.gillmore@kingston.ac.uk 

 

 

 

Research fields:

Gavin's research focuses on:

• the link between radon and health;
• geology and caves;
• abandoned mines; and
• ecotoxicology.

This includes assessments of health risk for archaeologist and earth scientists working in such environments. It also incorporates geohazards – specifically the role that radon can play in assessing earthquake activity and hence risk and the link between earthquakes, radon and tides. 

Dr Frances Harris

Title: Senior lecturer
Email: f.harris@kingston.ac.uk

Research fields: Frances' research focuses on farming and food production systems, taking a participatory and interdisciplinary approach. She has particular research interests in Africa.

Specific topics of interest include:

• community-based natural resource management;
• sustainable livelihoods; and
• soil fertility management.