Professor Christopher White

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Personal statement

Professor 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 resources and waste management, environmental health, and climate resilience.

As a Professor in Climate Extremes and Resilience, his research quantifies and predicts complex cascading and interconnected multi-hazard risks across systems and critical infrastructure. His Engineering for Extremes research group focuses on hydrometeorological natural hazards (floods, droughts and wildfires), multi-hazard risks, predictions and early warnings, climate risk management and climate resilience. He works to help address the challenges posed by these complex climatic risks—from influencing international and national policy to supporting critical national infrastructure owners and operators in reducing impacts and increasing resilience.

Professor White work includes the modelling and prediction of extreme events on both the extended-range 'subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S)' (weeks to months) and climatic timescales (up to the end of the century) using regional high-resolution and global climate projections focused on complex multi-hazard interactions, cross-sectoral cascading physical and societal impacts.

He leads several projects and activities including the new ANTICIPATE European COST Action network CA24144 on extended-range multi-hazard predictions and early warnings (2025-29). He leads 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 (2022-25) and is a partner in the forthcoming TOGETHER (Towards enhanced coordination of disaster risk management and governance through a holistic framework for multi-level interaction and communication) project (2025-28), both funded by the Horizon Europe programme of the European Commission. He was also previously co-lead of the applications sub-project of the World Meteorological Organization’s WWRP/WCRP S2S Prediction Project application sub-group.

**NEWS** The Engineering for Extremes research group, led by Dr Chris White, was named as the joint-winner of the inaugural Strathclyde Strategic Themes R&KE Impact Awards 2025 !!

Expertise

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Prize And Awards

Research Team of the Year - Engineering for Extremes (E4E): Recipient; 25/8/2025
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

Groundwater monitoring challenges in Malawi : pathways to sustainable solutions: Robertson Donald, Morse Tracy, White Chris, Ellis Rowan; 2024 UNC Water & Health Conference (2025)
Towards multi-hazard and multi-risk indicators – a review and recommendations for development and implementation: White Christopher J, Adnan Mohammed Sarfaraz Gani, Arosio Marcello, Buller Stephanie, Cha YoungHwa, Ciurean Roxana, Crummy Julia M, Duncan Melanie, Gill Joel, Kennedy Claire, Nobile Elisa, Smale Lara, Ward Philip J; Natural Hazards and Earth System Science (2025)
Exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence for flood forecasting in Scotland: White Chris, Bertram Doug, Atkinson Robert, Usman Muhammad, Nieradzinska Kamila, Martí Barclay Vicky; (2025)
Review article: The growth in compound weather and climate event research in the decade since SREX: Brett Lou, White Christopher J, Domeisen Daniela I V, van den Hurk Bart, Ward Philip, Zscheischler Jokob; Natural Hazards and Earth System Science Vol 25, pp. 2591–2611 (2025); https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-2024-182
The changing role of operational meteorology towards a transdisciplinary approach to future weather and climate services: Davies Paul, Fowler Hayley J, Roberts Helen, White Christopher J, Youngman Monica, Rogers David P; Philosophical Transactions A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences Vol 383 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2024.0535
Hydrology in the 21st century : challenges in science, to policy and practice: Fowler Hayley J, Coxon Gemma, White Christopher J; Proceedings A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences Vol 383 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2024.0299

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Teaching

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Teaching

Modules taught:

CL216 Hydraulics and Hydrology
CL248 Environmental and Hydraulic Engineering (IJEP)
CL420 Water Engineering 2

Research

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Research Interests

I specialise in understanding complex multi-hazards and cascading risks, incorporating both physical causative and impacts perspectives. My research focuses on hydrometeorological natural hazards (including floods and droughts), predictions and early warnings, climate risk management and climate resilience. This includes the modelling and prediction of extreme events on both the extended-range 'subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S)' (weeks to months) and climatic timescales (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.