We are pleased to announce that the University of Vienna is now part of the DCNA network as an ordinary member. The university has been dealing with the subject areas of civil defense and disaster control, risk governance, risk perception and communication and risk-based disaster management from a wide range of disciplines (including economics, law, social and natural sciences) for many decades. In addition to many research projects with individual focuses, these topics are also an integral part of the various teaching programs for bachelor's, master's, teaching and dissertation training. In addition, the University of Vienna has been offering the postgraduate master's training program “OeRISK – Risk Prevention and Disaster Management” at the Postgraduate Center every year since 2014. The University of Vienna is pleased to participate in the DCNA network.

The representatives of the University of Vienna in the DCNA are Prof. Dr. Thomas Glade (Institute for Geography and Regional Research, working group ENGAGE – Geomorphological Systems and Risk Research) and Univ.-Prof. Sabine Pahl PhD (Institute for Psychology of Cognition, Emotion and Methods, working group Environmental Psychology).

In his research, Prof. Glade deals intensively with the interrelationships between people and the environment, with a focus on natural hazards and risk research based on natural and engineering sciences. Short- and long-term analyzes of the spatiotemporal dynamics of gravitational mass movements are a focus of his research. In addition, Prof. Glade initiated and leads the advanced training master OeRISK – risk prevention and disaster management:

“Think the unthinkable – we must prepare preventatively for previously unknown extremes.”

Prof. Pahl focuses on the human dimension of environmental issues in basic and applied research. She examines perceptions and behavioral changes, particularly in the areas of protection of the marine environment, marine litter and microplastics, and energy efficiency:

“In the new environment and climate network (https://ech.univie.ac.at/), natural and social sciences work together in an interdisciplinary manner, since environmental events and problems always have a human dimension.”