Due to the growing frequency and severity of disasters experienced around the world, and the ongoing need for management and mitigation of such risks, disaster and emergency management (DEM) has become an expanding academic and professional field that is sure to experience increased relevance - both domestically and internationally - for the foreseeable future. York University has taken another step to establish itself as a leader in the area.
Already the only university in Canada to offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees in DEM, York has further solidified its strength and expertise in disaster studies by launching a doctoral program in DEM, set to begin in September 2025.
"We are extremely proud to be able to offer Canada's first-ever PhD program in DEM, in addition to our successful DEM degrees at the undergraduate and master's levels," said Aaida Mamuji, director of the Graduate Program in Disaster & Emergency Management. "Our research-active faculty, our domestic and international collaborations, having the ADERSIM Lab right on campus and our vibrant York community, we hope, will make our incoming doctoral students thrive as they pursue higher education in disaster studies."
York University's Doctoral Program in Disaster & Emergency Management team. Pictured, from left to right: Professor Ali Asgary, Professor Eric Kennedy, Jennifer Spinney (area co-ordinator), Professor Evalyna Bogdan, Professor Aaida Mamuji (graduate program director), Professor Jack Rozdilsky and Professor Nirupama Agrawal.
The PhD program in DEM is designed to link academic study and professional experience to support the development of theories, methods, policies and practices in the field. The program will incorporate advanced courses, focused mentorship from established faculty, relationship development with DEM practitioners, a supportive environment for pursuing innovative research, as well as the development of teaching and public outreach skills.
Whether a student's goal is to pursue a career in academia or to bring evidence-based practices into the field, the program's equal focus on both knowledge production and mobilization will equip students to tackle either path with confidence.
Applications for the program's inaugural cohort will be accepted from October 2024 to January 2025. Prospective students are invited to attend weekly drop-in sessions to ask questions about York U's graduate programs in DEM (master's and PhD). They can also attend one of three virtual information sessions about the new PhD program, specifically, scheduled for: Sept. 23, Nov. 4 and Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to noon.
This story was originally featured in YFile, York University's community newsletter.
