About the Network
The network brings together expertise across flood science, health and wellbeing, climate adaptation, environmental justice, data and modelling, policy, design, community resilience and creative storytelling. Its purpose is to create a collaborative space where research can meet practice, policy and real-world impact.
Our aims
- connect flood-related research across Loughborough University;
- build partnerships with policy, practice, civic and community-facing organisations;
- support people-centred approaches to flood resilience and adaptation;
- develop collaborative research, funding and knowledge exchange opportunities;
- produce briefings, events, evidence syntheses and public-facing outputs;
- showcase Loughborough as a leading place for interdisciplinary flood research.
Why FloodScapes?
Flooding is one of the defining adaptation challenges of our time. It is increasing in complexity as climate change, land-use change, urban development, ageing infrastructure, social inequality and environmental degradation interact.
Yet flooding is often still treated primarily as a technical or physical problem. FloodScapes recognises that technical expertise is essential, but not sufficient. Flood risk is also lived, governed, communicated, planned for, remembered and adapted to by people and communities.
FloodScapes was created to bring these dimensions together. The network connects researchers and partners working across physical flood processes, modelling, infrastructure, adaptation, health, wellbeing, governance, policy, justice, design and storytelling.
Our vision
Our vision is to build a people-centred flood research and partnership network that supports more just, resilient and actionable flood futures.
FloodScapes seeks to create a space where flood science, social research, policy, practice and creativity can work together. We aim to support research that is scientifically robust, socially meaningful and useful to those making decisions about flood risk and adaptation.
What makes FloodScapes distinctive?
FloodScapes places people, place and lived experience at the centre of flood research. It does not replace technical flood science; it connects technical expertise with the social, health, policy, cultural and practical dimensions of flooding.
This means asking questions such as:
- Who is affected by flooding, and how?
- Which impacts are visible, and which remain hidden?
- How do communities understand and respond to flood risk?
- What evidence do practitioners and policymakers need?
- How can data, models and lived experience be brought into better conversation?
- How can adaptation be designed with, rather than simply for, affected communities?
- How can flood research support more equitable and practical decisions?
Network aims
FloodScapes aims to:
- strengthen interdisciplinary flood research at Loughborough;
- develop partnerships with organisations working on flood risk, resilience and adaptation;
- connect technical, social, policy and creative approaches to flooding;
- support evidence-informed decision-making;
- identify shared research and practice priorities;
- develop collaborative funding bids and demonstrator projects;
- create outputs that are useful to policymakers, practitioners and communities;
- support doctoral researchers, early career researchers and cross-sector collaboration.