Dr. Rachael Lau is an engineer and researcher specializing in geospatial intelligence, disaster risk, and applied AI. She leads the Kathmandu Geo Lab, a 30-member initiative she founded in 2019 to advance hazard early warning through interdisciplinary research and community engagement in Nepal.
Her work bridges research, policy, and field operations, with experience supporting partners across government, academia, and the development sector. She has advised on infrastructure risk at USAID, consulted on disaster modeling for U.S. state governments, and was selected as a AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow in AI. Her work centers on the responsible use of technology in crisis settings, especially in fragile and climate-affected regions.
She holds a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Duke University, where she focused on remote sensing, systems modeling, and machine learning for hazard monitoring. Dr. Lau contributes to editorial and advisory boards across research and academic institutions, and her work has been featured in research, policy, and global risk spaces. She regularly speaks and mentors on disaster resilience and engineering and leads cross-regional initiatives to expand access to disaster science and education.