New BGS Chief Scientist for multi-hazards and resilience announced
Prof Jonathan Chambers has been appointed as the new BGS Chief Scientist for multi-hazards and resilience, effective from 1 June 2024.
09/05/2024 By BGS Press
BGS’s multi-hazards and resilience (MHR) science challenge area engages with partners in the UK and internationally to support communities, governments and industry in building resilience to hazardous events. Jonathan will oversee the delivery of fundamental scientific research into risk mitigation and adaption to geological and associated environmental hazards through improved characterisation, monitoring, forecasting and information delivery.
Based at the BGS Headquarters in Keyworth, Nottingham, but working across all BGS sites, this role involves leadership of around 100 scientific and technical staff. One of Jonathan’s first tasks will be to work alongside other members of the BGS Senior Management Board and Science Strategy Group to implement and deliver the new BGS Business Plan.
Jonathan is an engineering geophysicist with more than 25 years of experience in subsurface imaging and monitoring. His recent research has focused on geohazard characterisation, landslide early warning and the development of innovative technologies for assessing environmental impacts on critical infrastructure, including risks associated with cascading hazards. He has a strong focus on innovation and the translation of research findings into tangible benefits for stakeholders in industry, academia and government.
Jonathan currently leads the BGS Shallow Geohazards and Earth Observation capability, which comprises the geodesy and remote sensing, engineering geology, environmental and engineering geophysics and coasts and estuaries teams, as well as the BGS Research and Development Workshop Facility. He is also a UKRI Individual Merit Promotion scientist.
I am delighted to be taking on the role of BGS Chief Scientist for multi-hazards and resilience. BGS has a crucial role to play in the efforts to enhance societal resilience to geohazards and multi-hazards in the UK and internationally. I am very excited for this new opportunity to work with my colleagues and partners to deliver cutting-edge research, real-world solutions and geoscientific knowledge to support policy and decision makers for the wider public good.
Prof Jonathan Chambers.
On behalf of BGS and the BGS Board, we are thrilled to welcome Jonathan into this important role. His proven track record in shallow hazards research and his expertise in providing solutions for societal resilience to geohazards and multi-hazards in the UK and internationally will be paramount in supporting and delivering the BGS Strategy and Business Plan.
Dr Karen Hanghøj, BGS Director.
Relative topics
Related news

Gemini: a new stable isotope tool
21/08/2025
BGS’s Stable Isotope Facility has new mass spectrometer equipment for analysing carbon and oxygen isotopes from carbonates and water.

BGS scientists work with United Nations to update hazard profiles
21/08/2025
From tsunamis to sinkholes, the profiles provide a standardised, internationally agreed definition of hazards to support disaster risk management worldwide.

Scientists uncover secrets of Stonehenge’s mysterious cattle
20/08/2025
Cutting-edge analysis of a Neolithic cow tooth dating back to the construction of the famous landmark provides evidence of Welsh origins.

New study reveals geological facility’s value to UK economy
19/08/2025
For the first time, an economic valuation report has brought into focus the scale of the National Geological Repository’s impact on major infrastructure projects.

Is your region susceptible? Britain’s geohazard hotspots revealed
14/08/2025
From sinkholes to radon: new maps highlight the most geologically at-risk regions

New platform highlights geothermal potential across the UK
11/08/2025
A new government-funded geothermal initiative, which includes an interactive map, has launched to help decision makers assess the geothermal potential across the UK.

Oasis revealed as Scottish capital’s ‘most seismic’ concert
07/08/2025
Twenty years of evidence from earthquake monitoring proves the Britpop legends are the most ‘ground shaking’ musical act to perform at Murrayfield Stadium, with the chance to secure their position at the top of the charts this weekend.

IODP³-NSF Expedition 501: successful offshore operations launches onshore phase
06/08/2025
Scientists have managed to take water and sediment samples from beneath the ocean on the New England Shelf for the first time, with the intention of understanding this offshore aquifer system.

New tool helps identify coal mine gas risk for housing developments in Scotland
05/08/2025
Scientists have co-developed a new tool for North Lanarkshire Council to help screen coal mine gas emissions prior to the development of new houses and buildings.

Kamchatka earthquake highlights the advances in tsunami early warning systems
31/07/2025
The response to the 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Russia has emphasised how far scientific understanding of tsunamis has come over the last two decades, and the improved mitigation measures that are now in place.

New journal article reveals snapshot of forever chemicals in shallow English soils
31/07/2025
Data on the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance concentrations in English soils has been released.

BGS hosts India for ‘deep dive’ on carbon capture and storage
30/07/2025
Some of India’s top scientists visited BGS to explore the UK’s carbon dioxide storage research potential.