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.

Modules taught:

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

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.