GfGD at the UK Alliance for Disaster Research 2026 conference

Geoscience for Global Development (GfGD) joined the UK Alliance for Disaster Research (UKADR) conference at Aston University, Birmingham, on 14 and 15 September 2026.

Joel Gill and Jess Bassett attended the conference, which marked UKADR’s tenth anniversary and brought together researchers working to reduce the impacts of disasters. GfGD is a core partner of UKADR, and Joel serves on its steering committee.

Connecting research and policy

GfGD’s engagement focused on the links between scientific research and disaster risk reduction policy. These links are essential to implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the international agreement guiding efforts to reduce disaster risk through to 2030.

Joel’s recent open-access paper examines how scientists can contribute more effectively to international policy processes. Drawing on the 2025 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, it proposes more inclusive routes for scientific engagement, better sharing of research findings and dedicated forums for dialogue.

The conference programme also included a panel on funding challenges, future directions for UK disaster research and the experience of early career researchers, themes highlighted in GfGD’s conference planning.

Through UKADR and other partnerships, GfGD continues to support connections between the geoscience community and those working to build sustainable and resilient communities.

Read Joel’s paper on strengthening the science-policy interface and find out more about UKADR.