Lara Mani - CSER
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MPhil in Global Risk and Resilience
CCCR 2026
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Lara Mani
Research Affiliate & Former Assistant Research Professor
lm881[at]cam.ac.uk; laramani14[at]protonmail.com
Lara was an Assistant Research Professor at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER).
Her research seeks to understand the efficacy of various communication methods and strategies for gaining traction for the mitigation and prevention of global catastrophic risks (GCRs). With a background in volcanic risk studies, Lara’s research at CSER also explores the global catastrophic risks from volcanic eruptions and specifically the systemic risks they pose to humanity.
Lara’s research in
risk communication
seeks to provide empirical evidence to understand what communication methods, tools and messages work to increase awareness of GCRs with policymakers, civil society, industry and publics. This research to date has adopted the use of novel methodologies and foresight tools, with a focus on participatory processes, including role-playing games, scenario-based exercises and horizon scanning.
Within global catastrophic risk research, Lara’s work has focused on improving the understanding of
global volcanic risk
. Her research applies systemic risk assessment to identify how volcanic hazards can interact with global complex systems and to map risk cascades. Through this research, Lara has co-founded a non-profit organisation –
Global Volcano Risk Alliance
– which is dedicated to mitigating the risk from globally impactful eruptions, through international monitoring, preparedness and advocacy for early warning and response.
Lara gained her PhD in volcanic risk communication from the University of Plymouth, UK, where her research explored the use of video games for volcanic hazard education and outreach programmes. At CSER, Lara is the Co-Lead of the systemic risk research group. She is the Lead of the Global Risks and Resilience working group of the
Risk KAN
network, and a member of the
VMSG
committee. In 2022, Lara was the Runner-up for the University of Cambridge Vice Chancellor’s Awards for Research Impact and Engagement for her collaborative research with the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, and in 2024 she received the Geological Society’s Murchison Fund Award.
Read Lara's meet the researcher profile here
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RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Lara Mani, Jenni Barclay, Carina Fearnley, Richard E. A. Robertson, Blaise Mafuko Nyandwi, Sara Barsotti, Amy Donovan, Wendy Stovall,(2025)
Lessons from 40 years of communicating volcanic risk during crises
, Nature Geoscience
Lalitha Sundaram, Lara Mani,(2025)
Existential Risk and Global Catastrophic Risk: A Review
Lara Mani,(2025)
Systemic and catastrophic risks from volcanic eruptions: briefing note for the UN DRR Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2025.
, University of Cambridge
Rick Davies, SJ Beard, Tom Hobson, Lara Mani,(2024)
11. Enabling the Participatory Exploration of Alternative Futures With ParEvo
Lara Mani, Azaf Tzachor, Paul Cole,(2024)
12. Global Catastrophic Risk From Low Magnitude Volcanic Eruptions
Blaise Mafuko Nyandwi, Lara Mani,(2024)
Rebuilding Lives on Lava: The Dynamic Forces Shaping Resettlement in Post-Eruption Goma
Lara Mani, Stacey Edwards, Erouscilla Joseph, Alia Juman, Thalia Thomas,(2024)
Evaluating the crisis communications campaign during the 2020–21 eruption of La Soufrière, St Vincent
, Geological Society, London, Special Publications
Jochem Rietveld, Tom Hobson, Shahar Avin, Lalitha Sundaram, Lara Mani, Avin Shahar, Avin Shahar, Avin Shahar, Avin Shahar, Avin Shahar, Hobson Tom, Hobson Tom, Hobson Tom, Hobson Tom, Hobson Tom, Mani Lara, Mani Lara, Mani Lara, Rietveld Jochem, Rietveld Jochem, Rietveld Jochem, Rietveld Jochem, Rietveld Jochem, Rietveld Jochem, Sundaram Lalitha, Sundaram Lalitha, Sundaram Lalitha,(2024)
Lessons from COVID-19 for GCR governance: a research agenda [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]
Jochem Rietveld, Tom Hobson, Shahar Avin, Lalitha Sundaram, Lara Mani,(2024)
Lessons from COVID-19 for GCR governance: a research agenda
, F1000Research
Rick Davies, Tom Hobson, Lara Mani, SJ Beard,(2024)
ParEvo: A methodology for the exploration and evaluation of alternative futures
, Evaluation
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The Centre for the Study of Existential Risk is an interdisciplinary research centre within the Institute for Technology and Humanity at the University of Cambridge dedicated to the study and mitigation of existential and global catastrophic risks.
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