Hazards and risk in the real world
Geography opens doors to a variety of careers across the hazards and risk sector. Explore how real people in real jobs predict, mitigate and respond to hazards and risk.
Step into the world of volcanoes, earthquakes, storms and floods and find out how geographers help predict and respond to them. See how experts use data, modelling and analysis to understand risk and protect communities.
Uncover the people in organisations working behind the scenes to keep us safe through our career profiles, resources and event recordings.
This is part of our virtual work experience programme with Springpod, If you haven't completed the module yet, head to Springpod.
Meet real people working in hazards and risk
Explore our range of career profiles, spanning jobs across multiple sectors linked to hazards and risk.
Edward Tonkin - Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator at ShelterBox
Hear about Edward's work to shape humanitarian responses to hazard events.
Alice Almond - Head of Capacity Building and Emergency Response, MapAction
Hear about Alice's work to improve humanitarian response via the effective use of geospatial data.
John Kreft - Senior Analyst Natural Hazards, WSP
Hear about John's work to provide expert advice on infrastructure resilience to hazards.
Dr Tina Thomson - Head of Catastrophe Analytics EMEA West-South
Hear about Tina's work in the catastrophe modelling and risk management of natural and man-made hazards.
Katie Boon - Technical Advisor for Flood and Coastal Risk Asset Management, Environment Agency
Hear about Katie's work to ensure flood management assests such as earth embankments, seawalls, pumping stations, flood storage reservoirs are in good condition to keep us safe.
Natalie Fairchild - Operations Specialist, Kenyon International Emergency Services
Hear about Natalie's work in training others to deal with disaster management.
Sally Brown - Principal Scientist in Flood Risk and Climate Change Adaptation, Environment Agency
Hear about Sally's work on food and coastal erosion risk.
Hannah Frost - Senior Catastrophe Risk Analyst, Willis Re
Hear about Hannah's work to estimate how much an insurance company is likely to lose if a large catastrophe should occur.
Watch videos and listen to podcasts
Listen to our podcasts and watch online lectures featuring geographers working in the hazards and risk sector.
An absolute beginner's guide to disaster risk management for geographers
Learn about various aspects of disaster risk management and the role of geography and geographers, from geographers currently working in the sector.
Where to take your career in disaster risk management
Join the Society's Disaster Risk Management Professional Practice Group for this talk, focusing on careers in disaster risk management.
The art and science of geovisualisation for disaster risk management
Explore how geovisualisation is applied in disaster risk management.
Natural hazards and disaster risk with Dr Martin Parham
Dr Martin Parham, lecturer in disaster management, University of Manchester, talking about disaster risk with a specific focus on Small Island Nations.
Applying the lessons from international disaster response to domestic major incidents
An expert panel discuss the similarities and differences between local and international policiesfor disaster risk management and response.
Locally-led humanitarian planning and response … is this the end of international deployments?
Explore how international funding bodies and NGOs can encourage locally-led disaster response.
Use geography: careers in risk management and insurance
Watch our webinar on starting a career in the risk management and insurance sector, with Dr Tina Thomson, William Forde and Prof Richard Teeuw.
Link up your learning
Use these learning materials and activities to explore how geographers working in hazards and risk are linked to the geography you learn in the classroom.
The geographers behind the map
Activities exploring geographical careers in hazard response linked to the 2025 Myanmar earthquakes.
Geographers and the Thames Estuary 2100 Plan
Activities exploring the role that geographers play in contributing to the development of flood risk strategy.
Employers to explore
Learn about organisations working in the hazards and risk sector, and discover how they make a difference in the real world.
JBA Consulting work to create resilience in a changing climate by working with businesses and communities to manage risk. Hear more about how their employees use geographical skills in the workplace on YouTube.
Natural England are the government’s adviser for the natural environment in England and they help to protect and restore our natural world. Find out how they work across sectors to manage and mitigate risk on their YouTube channel.
The Environment Agency works to create better places for people and wildlife, and supports sustainable development. Find out how the geographers they employ make a difference across various sectors linked to hazards and risk on YouTube.
Gallagher Re is a global reinsurance broker, delivering risk solutions to help build resilience against hazards and disasters. Visit their YouTube channel to hear more about job roles and how their employees use geographical knowledge and skills in the workplace.
Additional information about careers in the hazards and risk sector
JBA Trust have a wealth of information about geographers who work in environmental risk management, especially in the water environment.
Royal Meteorological Society have resources to showcase careers in weather and climate, including jobs linked to managing hazards associated with climate change and extreme weather.
Unicef showcase geographers working in humanitarian emergencies.
MapAction showcase how geographers use maps and data in effective and innovative ways to assist all aspects of humanitarian work.
Find out more about the role of an Emergency Planning/Management Officer.
Find out more about the role of an Emergency Planning Officer.
Find out more about the role of a Flood Risk Consultant.
Find out more about the role of a Catastrophe Modeller.
Try other virtual work experience
Why not try some of Springpod's other free virtual work experience modules. Here are some that are relevant to our 'Hazards and risk in the real world' programme: