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Dr. Komal Aryal

Research Fellow
(Disaster Risk Governance)

Biography

Komal brings over 17 years’ participatory action based research experience on local disaster risk management, humanitarian response coordination and community based development programmes. Komal specialises in  integrated disaster vulnerability, risk and capabilities analysis.

His current research is focused on the use of Earth Observation (EO) imagery, artificial and social intelligences based information to improve local disaster risk and resilience governance in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Malaysia.

In the past, Komal worked for various organisations (universities, NGOs, United Nations, Governments and National Red Cross Societies) based in Nepal, UK, the Republic of Korea, USA, Italy and The Gambia. Komal was in the ground during the two-major global humanitarian crisis (2014 Ebola Outbreaks and Sahel Extreme Climatic stress in the West Africa and the 2015 Nepal Gorkha Twin Earthquakes).

He is currently involved with Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (UK), where he is a community volunteer, specialising in community safety and disaster response governance knowledge exchange.  

Research Interests

  • Collaborative disaster risk and response governance        
  • Integrated disaster vulnerability and capabilities analysis        
  • Hybrid risks analysis        
  • Science and technology based disaster risk and safety communication        
  • Project management        
  • Research methodology, dissertation planning and supervision        
  • Mapping cascading impacts of disasters        
  • Heritage based livelihoods safety and management       

Research Projects

  • A Collaborative Multi-Agency Platform For Building Resilient Communities. The project is funded by the United Kingdom based the Global Challenge Research Fund (GCRF) and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Grant Ref: EP/P028543/1 (2017-2020).       
  • THINKlab Seminar Series on Local Risks Response and Resilience Planning 2017-2018 (THINKlab internal grant).  
  • Peer Reviewer: The 2019 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR). The United Nations Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR).
  • Project Advisor: Promoting Resilience through Taiwanese Indigenous Bamboo Housing Technology to Flood Affected Left behind Communities in Nepal (PRATIFAL). Government of Nepal, PCT and FSCN (Jan, 2019 – present).
  • Visiting Lecturer: International Training Programme on Disaster Risk Management, National Civil Defense and Disaster Management Training Institute, Ministry of Interior and Safety (MOIS), The Republic of Korea (2018 – present).
  • Co-Investigator: Development of a physiologicAl monitoRing research fOr emerGency first respoNders (DRAGON), HEFI Grant, University of Salford (2019-2021).

Qualifications and Memberships

  • 2012: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Northumbria University, UK.
  • PhD Thesis Title: Getting down to local level: exploring vulnerability to improve disaster management systems in Nepal.
  • 2002: Master of Science (MSc in Disaster Management and Sustainable Development), Northumbria University, UK.
  • 1998: Bachelors in Environmental Sciences (BSc), University of Delhi, India.

Training

  • July 2015: Refreshers Training on Post Graduate Teaching, Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Nepal.
  • June 2014: Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers to Implementing Partners (HACT), the UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA and WFP, Banjul, The Gambia.
  • March 2014: Participatory Household Economic Approach for Food Security. NDMA/UNCT The Gambia and EU-ECHO West Africa Office.
  • May 2003: Certificate in Total Disaster Risk Management, UNOCHA and UNDP, Kathmandu, Nepal.
  • June 2000: Certificate in Environment, Health and Community Development, The Asian Centre, Bangkok, Thailand.
  • December 1999: Certificate in Energy Management & Cleaner Production in SME, University of Twente, The Netherlands.

Publications:

EDITED BOOKS

  • Elliott, S., Utas, C., Turot, O., Poncin, A., Andrew, P., Aryal, K., Burja, K., Shrestha, P., KC, A., Sun,Y., Ying, Z., Vikman, E., Zambeaux, R., Jovanovic, V., Mooney, E., Kuttiparambil, G., Pettersson, Z., Contla, X. and Elien, R. (2015) Nepal Earthquake Response: Joint Assessment of Food Security, Livelihoods and Early  Recovery.  Government  of  Nepal, National Planning Commission, UNOCHA, UNDP, FAO, WFP, NRCS, REACH, Protection Cluster Nepal, NeCSAP) Nepal Food Security Monitoring System and Food Security Cluster, Kathmandu, Nepal
    http://fscluster.org/sites/default/files/documents/nepal_report_joint_assessment_of_food_security_livelihoods_and_early_recovery_2015_13-jan-16.pdf
  • Aryal, K.R.,Timilsina, M. and Paudel, S. (2015) A Special Handbook for Nepalese Member of Parliament on Local Disaster Risk Reduction Education. Oxfam GB and Himalaya Conservation Group (HCG), Kathmandu, Nepal
    https://www.academia.edu/21566953/A_Special_Handbook_for_Nepalese_Member_of_Parliament_on_Local_Disaster_Risk_Reduction_Education
  • Aryal, K.R. (2012) Getting down to local level: exploring vulnerability to improve disaster management systems in Nepal. Doctoral thesis, Northumbria University.
  • Aryal, K.R. (2002) Disaster Management System in Nepal: A Study of the Perceptions of Marginalized Groups in Relation to Disasters and a Disaster Management Project in Nepal. MSc (Disaster Management and Sustainable Development) dissertation, Northumbria University.  
  • Aryal, K.R. and Gadema, Z. (2008) Climate change and disaster impact reduction. Disaster and Development Centre, Northumbria University, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne. ISBN 9781861353610
    http://www.preventionweb.net/files/7591_CLIMATECHANGEANDDISASTERIMPACTREDUCTION1.pdf
  • Pokharel, A., Pokharel, S. and Aryal, K. (2000) A Citizens Report on Air Pollution in the Face of Urbanisation. Society for Legal and Environmental Analysis and Development Research and Japan Environment Corporation (JEC). Kathmandu, Nepal.
  • Aryal, K.R. (1998) Comparative study of environmental hazards in Delhi and Kathmandu. BSc dissertation, Ramjas College, Delhi University, India.

RESEARCH REPORTS

INVITED LECTURES / SESSION COORDINATOR

  • Aryal, K.R. (2017) Participatory Challenge Mapping Exercise on use of technology for multi-agency collaboration to strengthen community resilience in developing countries. In : “United Nations International Conference on Space –based Technologies for Disaster Risk Reduction  “Building  Resilience  through  Integrated Applications”. Co –organised by the United Nations Office fo Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, 23rd -25th October, 2017, Beijing, China.
  • Aryal, K.R (2017) Bridging the gap between Space and Society: reducing local disaster vulnerability in The Gambia. In workshop: “Geological Disaster Monitoring Based on Sensor Networks” organised by the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow and Tianjin Normal University, 13-17  July,  2017,  Harbin,  China.
  • Aryal, K.R and Li, Z. (2016) Earth Observation to Support Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM). In: “the 2nd Workshop of the International Research Network on Disaster Risk Reduction: Community Based Disaster Management” organised by ICCR-DRR, EPI Center, University  of  London  (UCL),  07th December 2016, London, UK
    http://iccr-drr.bnu.edu.cn/en/2016/12/08/2nd-workshop-on-of-the-international-research-network-on-disaster-risk-reduction/
  • Aryal, K.R (2016) Revisiting Cascading Effects of the 2015 Nepal Gorkha Earthquakes. In workshop: “Disaster Management and Emergency Responses to Flooding” organised by Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan, Warwick University, UK Newton Fund British Council, 07-13 August, 2016,  Almaty  Mountain,  Kazakhstan
    http://www.drinu.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Presentation_Komal_Aryal-1.pdf
  • K.R. Aryal (2016) Redesigning urban governance: creating risk neutral cities for sustainability. In Workshop: As mudanças climáticas e as cidades brasileiras – riscos e medidas de respostas Data: 22 de junho (quarta-feira) Endereço: Auditório da Cetesb – Av. Professor Frederico  Hermann  Jr  345,  Alto de Pinheiros, São Paulo – SP, Brazil
    http://proclima.cetesb.sp.gov.br/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2016/06/San-Paulo-Presentation_Komal.pdf
  • Aryal, K.R (2015) Exploring disaster vulnerability to improve local disaster resilience in Nepal. Tulane Disaster Resilience Forum and Study Tour-2015. Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy (DRLA), Tulane University, 15-16 November, 2015, New Orleans, USA.
  • Tuladhar, G. and Aryal, K.R (2015) Learning from 2015 Nepal Earthquakes Responses: How Local Emergency Management and Humanitarian Coordination Be Strengthened for Future Unknown?. In  special report lunching session: “A Networked Approach to Strengthening Emergency  Response  Capacity”,  organised  by Centre for Strategic International Studies (CSIS), Tulane Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy (DRLA) and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 12th November, 2015, Washington D.C. USA.
  • Aryal, K.R. (2015) Locally-led First Aid to Cultural Heritage Prevention: A Case Study from Nepal. In: “Uniting to Save World Cultures: Investigating the Attributes of Successful Emergency Cultural Heritage Protection Interactions Conference”. Smithsonian Institution, Washington,  D.C.  07th  -09th  October, 2015
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr0abZsq4gc
  • Aryal, K.R. (2013) Analysing Cascading Effects of Disasters: Case studies from Nepal, UK, Brazil and Republic of Korea. In: Special Training for GIS Unit of the National Disaster Reduction Center China (NDRCC), 01-05 August, 2013, Beijing, China.
  • Aryal, K.R., Trotter, K. Metlon, E. (2012) Mutual Alliances for Local Emergency Response: a case study from Nepal and Brazil. In: UKFRS International Development and Humanitarian Aid Conference, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, 10 October, 2012. Manchester, UK
    http://core.kmi.open.ac.uk/download/pdf/9587389.pdf
  • Aryal, K.R. (2010) Revisiting Disaster Management Systems in Nepal. In: Disaster Management Workshop, University of Incheon, 6, September, 2010.Republic of Korea.
  • Aryal, K.R (2009) Risk Prevention and Resilience Planning. In: Local Government Climate Change Leadership Summit. Local Government Denmark, 4-9 June, 2009, Copenhagen, Denmark (Session Coordinator) http://www.kl.dk/ImageVaultFiles/id_37869/cf_202/All_Sessions.PDF
  • Aryal, K.R. (2008) Climatic Hazards Mitigation through Risk and Resilience Committees in Nepal. In: International Conference on New Methodologies and Interdisciplinary Approaches in Global Change Research, 05-10 November, 2008, European Science Foundation, Porquerolles, Hyeres, France.
  • Aryal, K.R. (2008) Impact of ProVention Grants in My Career. In: ProVention Consortium Annual Forum, April 08-10, 2008, Panama.
  • Aryal, K.R. (2008) Dealing with Risks in Nepal. In: Fourth Atmosphere Sciences Symposium on “Climate Change and Effects”, 25-28, March 2008, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey.
  • Aryal, K. R. and Shiroshita, H. (2007) Local Disaster Risk, Governance and Communication of Risk Information for Sustainable Disaster Risk Management: A Case Study from Nepal. In Workshop:  “Implementation Science, CASiFiCA and DRH Young Scientists”, 16-17 September 2007,  Stresa, Italy.