Dr. Noureen Ali

Academic Biography

Dr. Noureen Ali is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Disaster Management at the University of Ladakh, bringing with her a rich research background in Urban Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). Her work sits at the critical intersection of academic research and real-world policy, focusing on making vulnerable urban environments safer and more resilient in the face of growing climate and disaster risks. Dr. Ali completed her Ph.D. in Disaster Management from the University of Kashmir, where her doctoral thesis — "Building Urban Resilience for Disaster Risk Reduction: A Case Study of Srinagar City" — represents a comprehensive interdisciplinary study of urban disaster resilience in the Kashmir Himalayan region. Her research combined probabilistic flood modelling using HEC-RAS and GIS, multi-hazard risk mapping, and participatory socio-economic assessments to develop ward-level Urban Resilience Index (URI) profiles for Srinagar — directly informing local governance and infrastructure planning aligned with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. She holds a Master of Disaster Management from the University of Kashmir with Distinction (Gold Medal), across subjects spanning geo-informatics, climate risk, vulnerability assessment, crisis management, EIA and disaster-sensitive land use planning. Dr. Ali has published her research in internationally reputed journals (Natural Hazards, Journal of Heritage Management) and has also presented her work at major national and international conferences, including the Fifth World Congress on Disaster Management and the Indian Institute of Geomorphologists National Conference. Her technical expertise includes ArcGIS, QGIS, HEC-RAS, ERDAS, and SPSS, and her methodological repertoire spans multi-hazard analysis, resilience indexing, risk assessment, stakeholder engagement, and policy analysis. She has collaborated closely with urban local bodies including the Srinagar Municipal Corporation and State Disaster Management Authority. As an educator and researcher, Dr. Ali is committed to nurturing the next generation of disaster management professionals while continuing to advance evidence-based, community-centred approaches to building resilient cities.