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Disaster Scientist & Applied Researcher

Maciej
Pawlik

PhD (UCL - WIP), MSc, BSc (Hons), FRGS, AFHEA

Using nature-based solutions to build resilience, helping people learn the power of living systems.

Maciej Pawlik
📷
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Main.pic.jpeg"
London, Warsaw, Kyoto
5 Research Papers
Top Tier Journals
UK & Japan
Fieldwork Countries
£55,000
Research Grants
PhD (UCL)
Global Top 10 University
01 — About

Rethinking resilience
through living systems

Fieldwork
Kyoto
Conference
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Nature-Based Solutions

Gaining applicable insights about nature to build resilience to hazards.

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Urban Resilience

How cities absorb and recover from acute shocks through community, governance, and spatial design.

🔬

Creative Methods

Cultural immersion, participatory design, posthumanist theory, and narrative approaches to disaster research.

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Disaster Education

School outreach, public engagement, and curriculum design to build civic preparedness and environmental literacy.

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Comparative Fieldwork

Cross-cultural research in UK and Japan; fluency navigating Western and East Asian institutional contexts.

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Policy & Advocacy

Translating complex environmental research into actionable policy, including advisory work.

I am a Disaster Scientist, completing a part-time PhD at UCL's Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction & the Institute of Education, working at the intersection of ecology, education, and disaster science.

My fieldwork takes me across Europe and Asia — areas with radically different relationships to urban nature — exploring how urban forests, rain gardens, and living infrastructure shape community resilience before, during, and after disaster.

I work with creative research methods, combining immersive fieldwork with posthumanist theory, participatory mapping, and policy analysis. I believe disaster science must engage seriously with culture, aesthetics, and the more-than-human world.

Beyond academia, I am engaged in public education, political advocacy, and practical outreach, including school programmes on resilience in emergencies across London, as well as international work helping direct aid to vulnerable communities.

I speak Polish, English, and Japanese (In progress), with intermediate BSL. I also practice martial arts, survivalism, and coding to maintain versatility.

Hiking Swimming Anime & Manga Dystopian Fiction Pokémon TCG Japanese Culture
Portrait
Glasgow
Matsushima Bay
Japan

Reflecting on coastal water systems and the safety provided by the hundreds of pine islands that serve as natural barriers to stroms and tsunamis.

Kyoto
Kyoto City
Japan

Riverine water systems, traditional ecological knowledge, and the cultural dimensions of disaster preparedness in historic Japan.

London
The Cobbler
Scotland, UK

Tracing water sources in the mountains, reviewing land topography to better understand human-nature interactions.

02 — Education

Academic formation

2024–
Present
PhD Nature-based Disaster Resilience
University College London (UCL)
Thesis: Green Learning for Disaster Resilience: A study of nature-based solutions storytelling in flood-prone communities in Glasgow & Kyoto. Supervised by Dr Dan Haines, Dr Kaori Kitagawa & Dr Megnaa Mehtta. Developing the Green Learning framework through immersive interviews and cultural fieldwork, producing creative learning interventions to foster nature-based disaster resilience.
2022–2024
Research Assistant
University of East London
Supported two international DRR projects (risk communication; disaster evacuation) combining computational ABM, participatory methods, and creative research approaches. Research featured at highest levels of academic representation and attracted significant media interest. Placed in top 1% of early-career researchers while working full-time.
2021–2022
MSc Global Futures: Justice, Development & Sustainability
Royal Holloway, University of London
Distinction. Focused on the role of nature in upholding human society and philosophical ideas including Ecological Posthumanism. Utilised videography for creative research dissemination.
2018–2021
BSc (Hons) Psychology, Clinical Psychology & Mental Health
Royal Holloway, University of London
2:1. Focused on the psychological impact of human-nature disconnect. Engaged in complex statistics via R and SPSS (multiple regressions, ANOVAs, t-tests).

A body of work
at the frontier

First-author, top-tier publications spanning disaster risk reduction, human–nature interaction, nature-based solutions, and disaster education.

2026
The Third Function: Ecological Posthumanism in London's Botanical Gardens
People and Nature · M. Pawlik
Under Review
2026
Disaster Prevention and Management · M. Pawlik
Student Fieldwork Grant
British Association for International & Comparative Education
£2,500 · 2025–2026
Standard Travel Grant
Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation
£2,500 · 2025–2026
Impact Builder Grant
University of East London
£50,000 · 2023–2024
Fieldwork
Strategic Planning
Public Talks
Teaching
Expeditions
04 — Teaching

Teaching &
mentoring

2026–Present
Fieldwork Skills
UCL · Postgraduate Teaching Associate · UG
2026–Present
Integrating Science in Disaster Risk Reduction
UCL · Postgraduate Teaching Associate · PG
2025–Present
Emergency Planning & Management
UCL · Postgraduate Teaching Associate · PG
2025–Present
Climate Action & Disaster Resilience
STEM Learning Scheme · Climate Ambassador · KS2
2025–Present
Career in Science
Brightside Mentoring · Mentor · KS5
2024–Present
Co-learning for Disaster & Climate Justice
UCL · Guest Lecturer · PG

Teaching Philosophy

I embed teaching within applied research rather than treating it as a separate role. My goal is to equip students with critical thinking and practical tools for navigating disaster risk.

Mentoring

Available to mentor students in disaster research, science, and career navigation. Please get in touch to discuss opportunities.

Teaching

Professional community

UK Alliance for Disaster Research
Steering Committee Member · 2026
Royal Geographical Society
Fellow (FRGS)· 2026
Advance HE
Associate Fellow (AFHEA) · 2026
UCL MAPS Faculty Student-Staff Committee
PhD Student Representative · 2025
UCL Dept EDI Committee
PhD Student Representative · 2024
Green Party of England and Wales
Member & Election Candidate · 2016–present
British Ecological Society
Member · 2024
British Association for International & Comparative Education
Member · 2024
World Wildlife Fund
Member · 2024
Avoidable Deaths Network
Member · 2024
Green Party International Committee
Member · 2023–24
Green Party Disciplinary Committee
South East Rep · 2022–23
Royal Holloway Pokémon Society
Founder & President · 2018–21
06 — Services

How I can
help you

Research, mentoring, and educational services for individuals and organisations working at the intersection of environment, risk, and resilience.

01

Research Consultancy

Bespoke qualitative and mixed-methods research in disaster risk reduction, urban ecology, and nature-based solutions.

Literature ReviewsFieldwork DesignPolicy Briefs
02

PhD & Academic Mentoring

One-to-one support for postgraduate researchers navigating fieldwork, writing, publication, and doctoral study.

Writing SupportCareer StrategyPeer Review
03

Education & Outreach

Programmes for schools, community groups, and public audiences on nature, emergency preparedness, and environmental justice.

School ProgrammesPublic TalksCurriculum Design
04

Creative Research Methods

Participatory and creative methods for projects reaching communities or challenging conventional research frameworks.

EthnographyParticipatory MappingPhotovoice
05

Writing & Editing

Academic writing support, manuscript review, and editing for journal articles, grant applications, and policy documents.

Manuscript ReviewGrant WritingEditing
06

Keynotes & Panels

Conference presentations, panel discussions, and public lectures on urban resilience and nature-based approaches to risk.

ConferencesPanel DiscussionsMedia Commentary
06b — Curriculum Vitae

Download my CV

⬇ Download PDF CV

Beyond the
journal article

With nature we can tell a different story rooted in hope
UCL DRR & Humanitarianism Society Innovation Evening · London · 2025
Talk
Using Agent-based Modelling to Increase Predictive Capacities of Human Behaviour during Tsunami-induced Flooding Emergencies
15th IDRiM Conference · Samos Island, Greece · 2025
Young Scientist
Children as Our Last Hope: How Creative Learning can Save the Planet
UCL Sociology Network Inaugural Conference · London · 2025
Presentation
Flood, Sweat & Tears
British Science Festival · London · 2024
Presentation
Crafting Risk Communication in the Context of Flooding
Catalysing Connections Conference, UEL · London · 2023
Presentation
Thematic Mapping for Integrated Risk Communication
13th IDRiM Conference · Roorkee, India (Online) · 2023
Young Scientist
Wider Stakeholder Perspectives in Climate Adaptation
Impact & Innovation Conference, UEL · London · 2023
Presentation
Developing a System of Risk Communication to Meet the Climate Action Pledge of the SDGs
6th GADRI Conference · Kyoto, Japan · 2023
Poster
Risk Communication: Translating Expert Language to Non-experts
12th IDRiM Conference · Cluj-Napoca, Romania (Online) · 2022
Young Scientist

School Outreach

Delivering hands-on workshops on nature, safety, and emergencies across London schools.

Policy Engagement

Providing advice on national disaster education policy, urban nature interventions, and disaster research funding.

Political Advocacy

supporting climate and social justice by standing in elections, campaigning & advocacy.

Podcast & Public Writing

Featured on Garry Turner's In the Business of Healthy Masculinity (Ep. 25). Commentary on science, politics, and education for general audiences.

Conference
08 — Writing & Interviews

Thinking out
loud

Writings, reflections, and commentary on disaster science, research work, politics, and beyond.

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The Conversation

East London is at high risk of extreme flooding — here's how to limit the damage

On the use of nature to protect the UK's capital from national security threats.

Article5 min read
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FindAPhD

What it's really like starting a PhD that saves lives

Reflections about doing a PhD in disaster science and engaging in international fieldwork.

Blog Post3 min read
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UN PreventionWeb

Children should help shape disaster preparedness

A detailed summary of findings showing that children understand and engage with disaster information.

Blog Post5 min read
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CIWEM Environment Magazine

Why flood evacuation plans must account for real human behaviour

The case for using social data to inform evacuation behaviour modelling.

Article5 min read
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Medium

International PhD Fieldwork in Japan: Insights & Advice

Practical advice about organising and engaging in international fieldwork as part of a PhD.

Blog Post9 min read
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Podcast

10 Minutes with Maciej Pawlik

An informative podcast about engaging children in disaster preparedness conversations.

Podcast10 min listen

Let's work
together

I welcome enquiries about research collaborations, consultancy, mentoring, speaking invitations, and media appearances. Based in London, working internationally.