Umme Kulsum

​Umme Kulsum, B.Sc. (Hons.) and M.Sc. in Environmental Science (Khulna University/ Bangladesh) Ph.D. (Delft University of Technology/The Netherlands)

Ocean Frontier Institute Post-Doctoral Fellow

Email: ukulsum@grenfell.mun.ca

Research interests/expertise

Teaching

Publications (in journal)

• Kulsum, U., Timmermans, J., Haasnoot, M., Khan, M. S. A., & Thissen, W. (2021). Why uncertainty in community livelihood adaptation is important for adaptive delta management: case study in polders of Southwest Bangladesh. Environmental Science & Policy, 119, 54-65. URL

• Kulsum, U., Timmermans, J., Khan, M. S. A., & Thissen, W. (2020). A conceptual model-based approach to explore community livelihood adaptation under uncertainty for adaptive delta management. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 27(7), 583-595. URL 

• Kulsum U., Salequzaman, M., Azam, M. (2008). Strategies for mainstreaming adaptation options to climate change in southwestern coastal Bangladesh. Journal of Socioeconomic Research & Development, ISSN: 1813-0348. 

• Milton, A. H., Smith, W., Rahman, B., Hasan, Z., Kulsum, U., ... & Ali, A. (2005). Chronic arsenic exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes in Bangladesh. Epidemiology, 82-86. URL 
  

Publications (books/chapters)

• Kulsum, U. (2021). Supporting Adaptive Delta Management: Systematic Exploration of Community Livelihood Adaptation as Uncertainty, Delft University of Technology. URL 

• Khan, M.S.A., Mondal, M.S., Jalal, M.R., Kumar, U., Sloman, R., Kulsum, U., Nyunt, P. (2014). Urban risk: hazards and vulnerability in Khulna and Bagerhat cities, Bangladesh. CAFOD and IWFM, URL 

• Bals, C., Harmeling, S., Windfuhr, M., Anyango, S. O., Orindi, V., Rahman, F., & Kulsum, U. (2008). Climate change, food security and the right to adequate food. Germanwatch, Bread for the World and Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe, Stuttgart, Germany. URL
  

Publications (conference papers)

• Kulsum, U., Timmermans, J., Haasnoot, M., Khan, M.S.A., Thissen, W. (2017). Adaptation tipping points and co-evolution of community engagement in water-centric delta development pathway of Bangladesh, International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP) 3. IPPA, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore. URL

• Hossain, B.M.T.A., Kulsum, U., Timmermans, J. (2017). A framework to analyze the complex dynamic delta system for adaptive decision-making in Bangladesh. International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP) 3. IPPA, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore. URL 

• Kulsum, U., Timmermans, J., Haasnoot, M., Khan, M.S.A., Thissen, W., Middelkoop, H., Beek, E.V. (2017). Modeling of farmers’ livelihood decision-making to understand their adaptation response to changing conditions in southwest coastal Bangladesh in the Ganges delta. 6th International Conference on Water and Flood Management. IWFM, BUET, Dhaka, Bangladesh. URL

• Tutu A. A., Roy K., Hossen Z., Kulsum, U., and Islam, S. (2004). Towards fisheries based sustainable livelihood approach: NGO’s perspective in south-west coastal region in Bangladesh. International Workshop on Sustainable Livelihood Approach in Fisheries Education and Research. Khulna, Bangladesh, SUFFER- UGC-DFID.  
  

Publications (in periodicals)

• Kulsum, U., Bijoy, M.R., and Roy, K. (2004). Salinity threatens south-west Bangladesh (in English), CDP-CARE-RVCC Project, Khulna, March, 2004. ISBN No. 984-32-1775-6 

• Tutu, A. A., Kulsum, U., Hossen Z., Karim, F.M.R., Shahinuzzaman, M., and Roy, K. (2004). Flood 2004: inundated south-west coast (in English), CDP-CARE-RVCC Project, Khulna, September, 2004. ISBN No. 984-32-1920-6 

• Tutu, A. A., Kulsum, U., Karim, F.M.R., and Shahinuzzaman, M. (eds.) (2004). Water logging in the southwest coast (In English), CDP-CARE-RVCC Project, Khulna, December, 2004. ISBN No. 984-32-2193-1 

• Kulsum, U. (2003). Somersaults of changing climate (in English), CDP-CARE-RVCC Project, Khulna, December, 2003. 

• Kulsum, U. (2004). Information package on climate change (in English), CDP-CARE-RVCC Project, Khulna, 2004.
  

Presentations (selected)

• Vodden, K and Kulsum, U. (2023, March 16). Climate change policies: from Canada to Bangladesh. Master of Arts in Environmental Policy Program. Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland. 
  

• Kulsum, U. (2023, May 23- 26). Co-development of a strategic foresighting approach for sustainable coastal community infrastructures [Poster presentation]. Ocean Frontier Institute Researcher’s Conference. St. John’s, Newfoundland.  
  

• Kulsum, U. (2023, May 4- 6). Planning differently for sustainable coastal infrastructures [Poster presentation]. Municipal symposium: framing our future. Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador, Gander, Newfoundland.
  

• Kulsum, U. (2022, April 19-23). Climate resilient approaches for fisheries and aquaculture sector. Climate resilient fisheries and aquaculture training. Fisheries Training Academy, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 

• Kulsum, U. (2021, September 29). Supporting adaptive delta management with systematic exploration of community livelihood adaptation as uncertainty. Adapting and innovating for managing and developing deltas: Urbanizing Delta of the World online masterclass series: The State of the Art of water research in South and Southeast Asia. IHE Delft Institute for Water Education. URL  

• Kulsum, U. (2020, September 23). Case study: Application of MOTA in anticipating farmer's decision. Training Workshop on Motivation and Ability Framework (MOTA): A Feasibility Tool to aid Strategic planning and implementation. IHE Delft/ CEGIS/WACC/PRI, Khulna, Bangladesh. 

• Kulsum U., Timmermans, J., Khan, M.S.A., Thissen, W. (2020, May 27-29). An adaptive approach to strengthen the delta management with anticipation of community livelihood adaptation under uncertainty. 6th International Symposium on Knowledge and Capacity for the Water Sector: From Capacity Development to Implementation Science. IHE Delft Institute for Water Education. Delft, Netherlands. 

• Kulsum, U. (2021, September 27-October 1). Climate resilient approaches for fisheries and aquaculture sector. Climate resilient fisheries and aquaculture training. Fisheries Training Academy, Department of Fisheries, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 

• Kulsum, U. (2016, May 10-13). Community adaptation pathways, Adaptation Futures 2016 conference, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.  

• Kulsum, U. (2009, December 5). What climate change means in Bangladesh. The Wave: Campaign on Climate Change, Grosvenor Square, London, UK. URL 

• Kulsum, U. (2009, December 7-18). Climate change impact in Bangladesh. CoP 15, UNFCCC, Denmark.  
  

Unpublished reports/ papers (selected)

• Kulsum, U.  et. al. (2023). Foresighting methods: for application in future ocean and community infrastructures. Unpublished manuscript 

• Kulsum, U. et al. (2023). A foresighting toolkit for framing future sustainable coastal community infrastructures. Unpublished manuscript

• Kulsum, U.  et. al. (2023). National climate change risk and vulnerability assessment report. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Bangladesh (in progress)

• Kulsum, U.  et. al. (2023). Climate resilient approaches for fisheries and aquaculture sector. Food and Agriculture Organization, Bangladesh (in progress)

• Kulsum, U. (2017). Study on gender-responsive climate adaptive livelihood at five sub-districts in Khulna and Shathkira, Bangladesh. Practical Action, Bangladesh. 
  

• Kulsum, U. (2015). Impact assessment of IDEA project on livelihood and MFI project on disabled-friendly WASH of ADD International. CAFOD UK, Bangladesh. 

• Kulsum, U. (2015). Process documentation study: climate adaptive livelihood security of the Sundarbans resource-dependent community in Bangladesh. CAFOD UK, Bangladesh. 
  

Current research projects and grants (within past 5 years) - optional

Research Projects

• Post-doctoral fellowship: Co-development of a strategic foresighting approach for sustainable coastal community infrastructures. Ocean Frontier Institute, Canada First Research Excellence Fund. Future Ocean and Coastal Infrastructures (FOCI) Project. Institute of Environmental Policy, Memorial University of Newfoundland. 2022-2025.

• Doctoral research fellowship: Supporting adaptive delta management with systematic exploration of community livelihood adaptation as uncertainty. Urbanizing Deltas Worldwide, Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). Adaptive Delta Management (ADM) Project. Delft University of Technology (TuDelft) and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). 2015-2020. 
  

Conference Grants

• Ocean Frontier Institute Researcher’s Conference. OFI. St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, May 23- 26, 2023  

• 6th International Symposium on Knowledge and Capacity for the Water Sector: From Capacity Development to Implementation Science. IHE Delft Institute for Water Education. Delft, The Netherlands, May 27-29, 2020. 

• 4th International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP). University of Concordia. Montreal, Canada, June 26-28, 2019. 

• 3rd International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP). Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Singapore, June 28-30, 2017.

• Urbanizing River Deltas: Research Uptake Conference. Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, June 25-27, 2016.
  

Awards and recognitions (optional)

Awards

• Best session: Understanding the human behavior for better climate adaptation. Dhaka Water Knowledge Days. Joint Cooperation Programme (JCP), IWM, CEGIS, WUR and Deltares. October 27-31, 2019.

• 2nd position (in photo competition): Vulnerability exposed: social dimensions of climate change. The World Bank. 2009.
  

Recognitions

• Improving adaptive delta management in Bangladesh and Indonesia. Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). September 8, 2021. URL

• National Climate Change and Risk Management Expert. community-based climate resilient fisheries and aquaculture development in Bangladesh. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2020-2022.    

• Coordination of multi-partner integrated programs focused on food and livelihood security, coastal community adaptation, disaster risk management, disabled-friendly WASH, and (water/natural) resource management. The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) UK. Bangladesh, 2010-2014.

• Climate Change and Gender Focal Point. Prodipan. Khulna, Bangladesh, 2006-2010.

• Coordination of research and publications on reducing vulnerability to climate change. CDP-CARE- CIDA. Khulna, Bangladesh, 2003-2004.  
  

Certificate of Completion (Selected)

• The Path: Your journey through Indigenous Canada. Ocean Frontier Institute. August 20, 2023.

• Hackathon: Consequences of extreme sea level rise. CEGIS/Deltares/IWM/ WUR. February 11-12, 2020.   

• An Introduction to Risk Management. FAO. June 16, 2020. 

• Climate Change and Food Security. FAO. June 16, 2020. 

• Ethics and Integrity at the United Nations. FAO. June 15, 2020.

• Prevention of Fraud and Other Corrupt Practices. FAO. April 24, 2020.

• Prevention of Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Abuse of Authority. FAO. April 25, 2020.

• Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. FAO. April 25, 2020.

• Achieving Gender Equality in FAO’s Work. FAO. April 27, 2020.

• Modeling for Polder Management. BUET /IWM /Deltares. Dhaka, Bangladesh. June 19, 2019.

• Participatory Planning Tools for Strategic Delta Planning and Management. IHE Delft/Khulna University/CEGIS. Khulna, Bangladesh. July 8-12, 2018.  

• Advanced Training on Metamodel. ADM/BDP2100. Dhaka, Bangladesh. February 28- March 1, 2017.

• WAAS Game-sustainable Delta Game. Deltares. Delft, the Netherlands, 2016

• Small System Dynamics Models for BIG Issues: Triple Jump towards Real-World Dynamic Complexity. TuDelft. Delft, The Netherlands, 2015. URL  

• Scenario Development for Bangladesh Delta Plan. Deltares/BDP2100. Dhaka, Bangladesh. 2015.  

• ADM Theory and Practice. TuDelft /Delta Alliance. Dhaka, Bangladesh. June 4, 2015.

• Land Use Modeling. WARPO/CEGIS. Dhaka, Bangladesh. December 10-15, 2014.

• International Training Workshop on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) for Community Based Adaptation (CBA). ICCCAD. Dhaka, Bangladesh. April 15-17, 2014. 

• Disaster Risk Reduction and Adaptation to Climate Change. ICCCAD. Dhaka, Bangladesh. July 22-28, 2010.
  

Memberships and affiliations (optional)

• Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) Caucus, FOCI  

• The Delta Community- a platform for delta-focused research and policy engagement, Bangladesh

• The Society for Decision Making under Deep Uncertainty (DMDU)

• The Climate Change Teacher Academy, UK (UN CC: Learn)

• Action Research for Community Adaptation in Bangladesh (ARCAB)

• International Center for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD)