From March 24–26, 2025, MFC CDT students and staff came together at Imperial College London for our annual Catastrophe Modelling Jamboree – three vibrant days of learning, collaboration, and innovation, with a focus on UK flood risk and climate resilience.
We were delighted to be supported by Dr Caroline McMullan and Dr Emma Lewington from Verisk, who not only helped shape the workshop content but also led a number of key activities across the first two days.
Day 1:Monday, 24th March
The event opened on Monday with a warm welcome and an engaging introductory lecture delivered by Dr Caroline McMullan and Dr Emma Lewington from Verisk. Their session, “Introduction to Catastrophe Models”, provided students with a strong foundation in the principles of risk quantification and model-building—essential tools for tackling the challenges posed by a changing climate.
In the afternoon, students formed teams and embarked on a hands-on group project. Their task: investigate historical and future precipitation trends across various UK regions using real-world climate data.
Day 2: Tuesday, 25th March
Tuesday was dedicated to analysis, insight, and collaboration. Using datasets from the HadUK-Grid and the UK Climate Projections (UKCP) portal, student teams explored climate patterns, visualised their findings, and tackled the complexities of modelling uncertainty.
Throughout the day, Verisk experts and MFC CDT staff provided support, offering guidance and feedback as students refined their approaches.
Day 3: Wednesday, 26th March (Pitch, Present and Celebrate)
Wednesday marked the grand finale of the Jamboree. The morning began with guest talks from speakers selected by MFC CDT students, speakers included Elnaz Naghib, Gavin Esler and Colm-cille Caufield. More details on the talks can be found here.
The symposium was followed by team presentations highlighting their climate data analysis, visualisations, and modelling insights. In the afternoon, students delivered their 3-minute thesis presentations, showcasing their individual research in concise, engaging formats. This was followed by the final team presentations on the Verisk group projects.
The day concluded with an awards ceremony celebrating outstanding contributions across the event:
🏆 Jamboree Awards 2025
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MFC CDT Numerical Analysis Award: Niall Oswald
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MFC CDT Probability & Statistics Award: Niall Oswald
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MFC CDT PDEs Award: Toby Frances Day
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MFC CDT Atmosphere, Climate, and Ocean Modelling Award: Orla O’Neill & Reuben Buss
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Verisk Team Project Winners (Team 2): Luca Melzi, Miriam North Ridao, Jakub Pypkowski, Joey Foster, and Leo Collins
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Three Minute Thesis Presentation: Orla O’Neill & Joey Foster
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MFC CDT Cohort Champion: Joey Foster
Thank You
A big thank you to Verisk for their enthusiastic support, insightful sessions, and hands-on mentorship throughout the Jamboree. Their involvement played a key role in making this event both educational and inspiring.
And of course, congratulations to all of our students for your hard work!
