The Research TEAM


Christopher Gomez (Principal Investigator)

Full Professor at Kobe University, SABO Laboratory (Japan).

Adjunct Professor at Universitas Gadjah Mada, PSBA (Indonesia).

Google Scholar / ResearchGate


Sho Sawada

PhD under co-supervision with Ben Kennedy, Canterbury University (NZ) starting in April 2025 –

Research topic: The effects of volcanic pumices on flow mechanics: Empirical and Physical modelling from volcanoes in Japan and New Zealand


Afrinia Lisditya Permatasari (2024: h-index 7)

PhD student in cotutelle with UGM starting in 2024.

Research topic: Geomorphological Characteristics of Volcanoes in Indonesia

Google Scholar: ‪Afrinia Lisditya P‬ – ‪Google Scholar‬


Daikai Rikuto (2024: h-index 3)

PhD student at Kobe University (April 2024 – )

Research topic: Volcanic Sabo – Lahars and Debris-flows in Japan and Indonesia

Link to Publications (this site)

Google Scholar: ‪RIKUTO DAIKAI‬ – ‪Google Scholar‬

ResearchGate: ResearchGate


Zhang Miao

PhD candidate (Oct. 2023 – )

Research Topic: Point-cloud Processing and Error Simulation

Link to Publications (This Site)


Vincent Siccard

PhD candidate at Lyon 3 University (France) – Co-direction (2022 -)

Research Topic: Geomorphological Dynamics of Mountain Watershed in Rural Japan: Hydro-Sedimentary Cascade Field and Experimental Simulations.

Link to Publications (This Site)


Melody Dumont

PhD Candidate at Paris University (France) & Kobe University (Japan) on a cotutelle program (2022 – )

Research Topic:

Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Melody-Dumont

HAL: https://cv.hal.science/melody-dumont 

Link to Publications (This Site)

Past-PhD students

Colette Starheim (Canterbury University): Debris flow and lahar mechanics and deposition processes (other)

Claire Kain (Canterbury University): Tsunami deposits, hazards and risks (Now hazard researcher in Australia)

Frans Persendt (Canterbury University): Cuvelai Bain (Namibia) flooding (Now dean at Namibia U.)

Aditya Saputra (Canterbury University): Coseismic disaster risk in the Bantul Area (Now Lecturer at UMS)

Adam Prana (Canterbury University): Community-based flood disaster risk in Jakarta (Now Ministry officer)

Berton Panjaitan (Canterbury University): Tsunami hazards and disaster risk in Mentawai (Now Ministry officer)