Disastrous Doctorates

📢Calling all PhD students working in natural hazards and resilience in Aotearoa New Zealand! are now OPEN!

🎉Join us as we celebrate 20 years of Disastrous Doctorates, the only annual in-person symposium organised by students, for students, that includes people from ALL aspects of resilience research!

🎓Whether you're a PhD student working on natural hazard risks, impacts, mitigation, or adaptation options, disaster law, planning, indigenous approaches to resilience, emergency management, or finding ways to empower people, communities, and society as a whole to become more resilient to natural hazard events and disasters, DD is for YOU!

📅 DD2027 is *FREE* to attend and will be hosted by the Joint Centre for Disaster Research at Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington from 4 - 6 April, 2027.

✈️ Funding support for domestic travel and accommodation is available thanks to our generous event sponsors, so register your interest in attending DD2027 *NOW* so you can be the first to receive event information news and updates!

Find out more and register your EOI now at:

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Disastrous Doctorates 2027 Initial Expression of Interest (EOI) This initial EOI is to gauge interest in the event to get some initial numbers for event planning purposes. Please note that the deadline for submitting this initial Expression of Interest (EOI) is Friday 8 May 2026. The Disastrous Doctorates symposium is an annu...

Congratulations to everyone who presented their research at Disastrous Doctorates 2026 in Ōtepoti Dunedin! What an awesome showcase of the wide range of mahi that goes into understanding natural hazards and how we can reduce our risks and recovery times from these inevitable events.

Thanks also to our keynote speakers who shared insight into their fields of expertise, but also offered valuable career advice to our largest EVER cohort of PhD student presenters.

Enjoy some photos of this fantastic 2-day event courtesy of student presenter and photographer Dan Bain ⬇️

⌛ There's just 5 days left to submit your Expression of Interest (EOI) to attend 2026!

👉🏽If you're a NZ-based PhD or Masters student doing disaster-related research then this in-person conference is for you:

Disastrous Doctorates
9 - 10 February
University of Otago
Ōtepoti Dunedin

👨‍🎓Share you work and make connections within the wider interdisciplinary field of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), and get support and advice for your project and future career.

Help us spread the word, and REGISTER NOW! ➡️ https://forms.gle/p85rjPVadN2V8Sf2A

University of Auckland - Waipapa Taumata Rau, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, The University of Waikato, University of Canterbury, Lincoln University, QuakeCoRE: NZ Centre for Earthquake Resilience, Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake, Earth Sciences New Zealand Te Wānanga o Aotearoa

DD2025 at The University of Waikato
Thank you all for attending the symposium. See you all next year.

Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake QuakeCoRE: NZ Centre for Earthquake Resilience School of Engineering - University of Waikato

It is with deep shock and sadness that we share the sudden passing of Distinguished Professor David Johnston on Sunday, 19 January, following a medical event.

David was a founding mentor, a steadfast supporter and a passionate advocate for Disastrous Doctorates. His unwavering commitment to helping others—especially students in the disaster field—touched countless lives. Many of us would not be on this PhD journey without his generosity, whether through funding, supervision, advocacy, knowledge-sharing or simply creating opportunities for us to be heard.

“We express our deep gratitude to Distinguished Professor David Johnston for his dedication to supporting emerging researchers and championing the establishment of Disastrous Doctorates in 2006. His inspiration will live on through DD alumni throughout New Zealand and around the world.”
—Disastrous Doctorates founders, Tom Wilson, Caroline Orchiston and Julia Becker

David made space for so many, and his impact is immeasurable. As Disastrous Doctorates continues to grow, his legacy will live on, guiding and inspiring the next generation of disaster scholars.

Thank you, David. From all the past, present and future DD students.

We paid tribute to David at the Disastrous Doctorates 2025.