Kat Rañeses

“The University of Auckland is among the few institutions that offered a disaster management programme. I also chose to study here because it’s one of the top universities in the world.

“In the Philippines, I used to work for a disaster risk reduction and mitigation project, and I primarily focused on hazard mapping for floods. Disaster management has always been an interest of mine; I’ve experienced many natural disasters there. I want contribute to and make a difference to this developing sector in my country.

“I love that the Master of Disaster Management is so multi-disciplinary – we are exposed to different disciplines, including engineering, social science, and public health. The resources we are provided here are amazing, and its learning environment drives students to succeed.

“I’m currently a Transport Sector Analyst consultant for a project called ‘Private Markets for Climate Resilience’ under the Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Foundation. We are working on developing best practices for the transportation and agriculture sectors in different countries. I’m able to use my civil engineering knowledge for the transportation infrastructure side of the role, and the skills I gained from the Master of Disaster Management to help with disaster resilience.

“In the long term, I want to help improve the disaster risk management sector in the Philippines and become an expert in this field. I’d love to work in academia, and I think the education I got from the University of Auckland can help me to make a difference.”