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.

I have a fully-funded EPSRC PhD on long-term climate change risk scenarios open for applications at https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/long-term-climate-change-risk-scenarios-for-nuclear-disposal-and-storage/?p180742/. Applications close 31 January 2025. Please get in touch with me if you are interested to know more.

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

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
Characterising cold-dry and cold-wet compound events in the United Kingdom: Mattu Kanzis L, White Christopher J, Bloomfield Hannah, Robbins Joanne; International Journal of Climatology Vol 45 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.8859
Assessing Water Scarcity Reporting in Scotland : A report from SEPA–University of Strathclyde Innovation Partnership Secondment: Peters Joshua, Roberts Jennifer, McGuire Stephen, Willmott Ellie, Tunaley Claire, White Chris, Lau Tiffany, Bertram Doug, Major Laura; (2025); https://doi.org/10.17868/strath.00093463
A global cross-resource assessment of offshore renewable energy: Spalding James, White Christopher, Ross Lauren; Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews Vol 215 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2025.115563

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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.