2024 | Irasema Alcántara-Ayala

The 2024 Annual Lecture, entitled “Mapping Disasters: A Forensic-Geographical Perspective on Root Causes and Disaster Risk Drivers”, featured Irasema Alcántara-Ayala as guest speaker.

She holds a degree in Geography from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), a PhD in Geography from King’s College London, and completed her postdoctoral studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA. She currently teaches at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters and is a researcher at the Institute of Geography at UNAM, where she previously served as director.

Her research focuses primarily on slope instability and disaster risk, promoting the integration of science, public policy, and risk management. She has authored over 200 publications and has participated in more than 100 international conferences. Irasema is also a member of leading scientific committees, including UNESCO’s International Geoscience Programme and the World Weather Research Programme.

In this lecture, she presented an approach that combines forensic investigation with geographical analysis to identify the underlying causes of disaster risk, highlighting how historical, social, and economic factors increase vulnerability. By integrating this knowledge into risk management strategies, it becomes possible to mitigate the impacts of disasters. This approach strengthens communities and supports the development of more effective public policies.

DATE: 17 October 2024
IN-PERSON & ONLINE SESSION
Venue: Orlando Ribeiro Auditorium, IGOT, University of Lisbon