Dr Christopher White

Reader

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Personal statement

Dr Chris White is Head of the Centre for Water, Environment, Sustainability and Public Health at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. The Centre undertakes fundamental and applied research that provides novel solutions to some of the most pressing global environmental challenges, including net zero and the circular economy, renewable energy, water and waste, environmental health, and climate resilience.

As a Reader (Associate Professor), he leads the Engineering for Extremes research group that focuses on improving the understanding of extreme weather events and hydro-meteorological hazards such as floods and droughts, focused on complex multi-hazard interactions and cross-sectoral cascading physical and societal impacts in a changing climate.

His research interests are cross-disciplinary, including the emerging fields of multi-hazard risks, compound events and cascading impacts, impact-based forecasting, the application of climate services for improved decision-making and climate resilience, and the prediction and application of predictions on extended-range subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) and climatic timescales.

He leads several projects including the multi-hazard interactions and cascading impacts work package of the MEDiate (‘Multi-hazard and risk-informed system for enhanced local and regional disaster risk management’) project, funded by the Horizon Europe programme of the European Commission. He was also on the Management Committee of the recent European COST Action CA17109 on compound events. He also co-leads the applications sub-project of the World Meteorological Organization’s WWRP/WCRP S2S Prediction Project.

Expertise

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Prize And Awards

Resilient Australia Awards: State (Tasmania) 'Commendation' - Tasmanian State Natural Disaster Risk Assessment: Recipient; 2016
Churchill Fellowship: Recipient; 2013
Resilient Australia Awards: National 'Winner' - Climate Futures for Tasmania: Recipient; 2012

More prizes and awards

Publications

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Publications

Future impacts of river flow on hydropower generation in Great Britain: Golgojan Ana-Diana, White Christopher J, Bertram Douglas; Journal of Water and Climate Change (2024); https://doi.org/10.2166/wcc.2024.355
An assessment of run of river hydropower potential in Great Britain: Golgojan Ana-Diana, White Christopher J, Bertram Douglas; Proceedings of the ICE - Water Management , pp. 1-40 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1680/jwama.23.00056
MEDiate: A diagnosis and assessment of the primary types of interacting hazards related to European areas : Deliverable D2.2: Jensen Esther, Adnan Mohammed Sarfaraz Gani, Perugini Eleonora, White Chris, Arosio Marcello, Barnie Talfan, Weiland Frederiek Sperna, Roberts Matthew, Þórarinsdóttir Tinna; (2024)
Reclassifying historical disasters : from single to multi-hazards: Lee Ryan, White Christopher J, Adnan Mohammed Sarfaraz Gani, Douglas John, Mahecha Miguel D, O'Loughlin Fiachra E, Patelli Edoardo, Ramos Alexandre M, Roberts Matthew J, Martius Olivia, Tubaldi Enrico, van den Hurk Bart, Ward Philip J, Zscheischler Jakob; Science of the Total Environment Vol 912 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169120
Reviewing the UK's exploited hydropower resource (onshore and offshore): Kennedy Claire, Bertram Doug, White Christopher J; Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews Vol 189 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2023.113966
MEDiate: A generalised framework for the assessment of current and future multi-hazard interactions : Deliverable D2.1: Kennedy Claire, White Chris, Douglas John, Adnan Mohammed Sarfaraz Gani, Roberts Matthew, Jensen Esther; (2024)

More publications

Teaching

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Teaching

Modules taught:

CL216 Hydraulics and Hydrology
CL248 Environmental and Hydraulic Engineering (IJEP)

Research

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Research Interests

My research focuses on natural hazards (including floods, droughts and heatwaves), surface water hydrology and resources, risk management and climate change resilience. I specialise in understanding natural hazards and risk from both physical causative and impacts perspectives, centred on the understanding, modelling and prediction of extreme weather events (in particular, hydrological prediction) on both the extended-range 'subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S)' (e.g. weeks to months) and climate timescales (e.g. up to the end of the century) using regional high-resolution and global climate projections.

Much of my research involves working with end-users to make climate, weather and natural hazards science and information more usable though the exploration of improved applications, communication and promotion of appropriate risk information in support of resource management, emergency management and disaster risk reduction activities.

I am always keen to talk to potential students, collaborators and industry partners about future projects and opportunities.