On 1 July 2024, Professor Saini Yang starts her duty as the Executive Director of Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) International Programme Office (IPO).

Before joining IRDR, Saini has been a professor at Beijing Normal University for more than 15 years. Dedicated in research and teaching of disaster risk management, Saini has been a long-standing member of the Asia-Pacific Science and Technology Advisory Group of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and an active member of the Expert Committee of the National Disaster Reduction Commission of China. 

IRDR is an international scientific programme, established to usher in an inclusive, safe and sustainable world by promoting a better understanding of disaster risk and the effective use of risk science in decision-making, and contribute to the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction through “A Framework for Global Science in Support of Risk-informed Sustainable Development and Planetary Health” toward 2030 and beyond. The complexity of this task requires a great effort of all to bring together and integrate research, expertise, data and knowledge crossing disciplines and regions. Saini and her team in IRDR IPO are fully committed to working with all involved in IRDR and to bring forward this important international programme with success.

A special thanks to Professor Qunli Han, the former IRDR Executive Director, for his work and dedication during his tenure for IRDR.