Han Qunli took the position of Executive Director of International Programme Office of Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) co-sponsored by ISC and UNDRR in September 2017. Over last six years, he has been working with IRDR scientific community to complete IRDR’s first phase (2010-2020), and contributing to the formulation of “A Framework of Global Science in Support of Risk-informed Sustainable Development and Planetary Health” toward 2030 and beyond. On this basis, Qunli led work to establishment of IRDR’s new decennium phase, commenced in May 2023. Han Qunli is Distinguished Professor at the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS), and has been chairing a CBAS team on assessing and reporting the SDGs progress.

During 1989-2017, Qunli served for UNESCO and its Natural Science Sector, including positions of Senior Programme Specialist on Environmental Sciences in Asia-Pacific Region, Director of Tehran Cluster Office and Director of the Executive Office of Natural Science Sector. He actively participated in UN-led post-disaster actions toward 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami, 2005 Central Java Earthquake and 2010 Pakistan floods. During 2013-2017, Qunli was the Director of Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences and Secretary of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme and led development of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

As Science Officer of IRDR, Fang Lian assists with the planning and implementation of IRDR’s mission. She serves as the primary contact for members of the IRDR community and helps with the design and organization of IRDR conferences, meetings, workshops and training. She is the focal point of IRDR Young Scientists Programme and devotes to promote the regional DRR capacity building and communication of the young professionals. She is the Core Group member of the Global Risk Science Research Framework initiated by ISC and UNDRR. She is also one of the major editors of the IRDR Working Paper Series. She works on science communication and education, co-design disaster risk reduction solutions toward multi-stakeholders, and science and policy dialogue. Before joining IRDR, her research focused on the disaster risk assessment and mapping especially on land degradation.

Lang joined the IRDR IPO as the Administrative Officer in June 2010 and supports the IRDR Programme by handling a broad spectrum of administrative and secretarial tasks, including creating, maintaining, and archiving reports and other office documents; making the necessary arrangements for travels, meetings, conferences, and other events; and acting as liaison with the accounting and administrative departments of the IPO’s host, AIR.

Zhou Rui joined IRDR IPO in February 2024 as the Communication Intern. Zhou is responsible for managing website content, updating the IRDR visual branding and improving the contact database. Additionally, Zhou assists in communicating and planning conferences, workshops and other programme activities. Zhou is currently a second-year Ph.D. student in International Law at Beijing Institute of Technology.