I'm a PhD candidate in Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo, trying to make sense of how we can better support decisions in complex socio-environmental systems. My research draws on tools and approaches such as geospatial analysis, integrated assessment modeling, scenario planning, and decision-making under deep uncertainty (DMDU) to explore “wicked” climate challenges—both how we adapt to it and how we try to slow it down, or eventually stabilize it. What really drives me is the challenge of connecting data and models with the real-world messiness, complexity, and unpredictability of policy and human decisions. In my work on climate change problems, I strive to consider broader dimensions of human well-being—such as the Sustainable Development Goals, economic development, and equity—and to explore the synergies and trade-offs among them, rather than assessing options in isolation. 

On the climate change mitigation side, my PhD work with the Waterloo Climate Intervention Strategies Lab focuses on using both qualitative and quantitative scenario methods to explore the role of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies—especially Direct Air Capture (DAC)—in Canada. As part of a national project funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada, I’ve been leading the development of a Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways (DAPP) tool to help guide long-term, flexible policy planning for DAC. This work brings together scenario design, integrated assessment modeling, and stakeholder engagement through workshops with experts from government, industry, and academia. Along the way, I’ve published in journals like Applied Energy, Frontiers in Climate, and Nature Communications Earth & Environment, and I’ve also written a policy brief on marine CDR to support emerging policy conversations in that space.

On the climate change adaptation side, I work as a climate and equity risk scientist with the Climate Risk Research Group and Partners for Action. A big part of my focus has been on understanding how climate hazards—especially floods—affect marginalized communities across Canada. Through applied research and geospatial vulnerability mapping, I've contributed to projects that help municipalities make more informed, equitable decisions. This work has been supported by groups like the Canadian Red Cross and The Co-operators, who share the goal of building resilience where it's needed most. I’ve also published a recent study on seismic risk and social vulnerability in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, and earlier in my academic journey, I explored water resource allocation under scarcity, with publications in the Journal of Hydrology and Science of the Total Environment. 

Feel free to contact me via email at kmotlagh@uwaterloo.ca. You can also find my other social media links listed below.