Keynote Speakers Details

Dr. Liton Chakraborty is a Research Associate at the University of Waterloo, and his research interests center on assessing social vulnerability, environmental and social inequities, and racial/ethnic disparities in exposure to climate change risks. Through his research initiatives, Liton has created a Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI) for Canada to inform equity and socioeconomic variability for diverse Canadian communities, highlighting factors representing the social construction of climate change risk. For his exceptional contributions to the Canada-wide Flood Hazard Model, Liton received the Creativity and Innovation Award as part of the 2022 Departmental Awards and Recognition Ceremony of Public Safety Canada. Liton published his research work in multiple impactful, internationally recognized peer-reviewed journals, such as Environmental Research, Risk Analysis, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, and International Journal of Disaster Risk Science. Besides, Dr. Liton has more than 16 years of academic experience with teaching, policy-informed research project development, and engagement in interdisciplinary and applied research projects. He is an expert in evaluating the causes and effects of any spatial, economic, and social phenomenon on society. He thoroughly understands social vulnerability, GBA+, systemic inequity, community well-being assessment, and policy development emphasizing an equity-centered, intersectional approach.