Early Researcher Spotlight: Meet Daniel Peregrina Gonzalez.

Today, meet Daniel Peregrina Gonzalez who is exploring new approaches to assess vulnerabilities and enhance resilience of critical infrastructure within the MIRACA project.

As a PhD researcher at Deltares and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam’s Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Daniel plays a key role in the Multi-hazard Infrastructure Risk Assessment for Climate Adaptation (MIRACA) project, an innovative initiative aimed at strengthening Europe’s infrastructure against climate change impacts.

Read on to learn more about his academic journey, his contributions to MIRACA, and what excites him about building resilience in critical infrastructure systems.

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From chemical engineering to climate adaptation research

Daniel’s academic path into infrastructure resilience began with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. After working in the consumer-packaged goods industry as an environment, health, and safety manager, he pursued a master’s degree in environmental sciences, following the Water Science and Management program at Utrecht University. His master’s research focused on drought in cities using the hydrology and water resources model PCR-GLOBWB 2.

“My professional experience in disaster risk management and my academic interests naturally led me to explore climate adaptation for critical infrastructure. I find the complexity of interdependent infrastructure systems and their vulnerability to extreme weather events particularly engaging.” Daniel explains.

His current PhD research at Deltares and IVM focuses on the appraisal of adaptation strategies for critical infrastructure exposed to multi-hazard climate risks in Europe, including consecutive, cascading, and compound events.

Infrastructure resilience matters: A journey into MIRACA

Daniel’s role in MIRACA focuses on assessing adaptation options for critical infrastructure systems using a structured, four-level framework. This framework considers hazard-, asset-, network-, and system-level adaptations. His research also explores the benefits of integrating networks for coordinated operations, such as multimodal transport systems, and how adaptation measures can propagate across interdependent infrastructure, such as electricity and telecommunications systems.

“MIRACA embraces the complexity of interdependent infrastructure systems and multi-hazard risks in a changing climate. The project recognizes that adaptation efforts must be capable of addressing this complexity,” Daniel says. “I’m excited to contribute to a project that seeks to improve decision-making for infrastructure development and climate resilience.”

Driving meaningful change

When asked about the potential impact of his work, Daniel highlights the need for flexible adaptation frameworks that can address the fragmented nature of current climate adaptation efforts.

“The Sixth Assessment Report of the IPCC states that most observed adaptation to climate change has been ‘fragmented, small in scale, incremental, sector-specific, designed to respond to current impacts or near-term risks.’ My research aims to overcome these limitations by creating frameworks that support multiple infrastructure sectors in adapting to multiple hazards, helping decision-makers implement long-term, resilient solutions.”

Outside of his academic work, Daniel enjoys gardening, cooking (and eating) Mexican and international foods, and going on long hikes.

Keep up with Daniel’s work

You can follow Daniel Peregrina Gonzalez’s research on LinkedIn and GitHub, and check out his MSc thesis:

• LinkedIn: Edgar Daniel Peregrina González – Deltares
• GitHub: edPeregrina
• MSc Thesis: Drought in Cities – PCR-GLOBWB 2

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About MIRACA:

Led by a consortium of top researchers, engineers, and climate specialists, the Multi-hazard Infrastructure Risk Assessment for Climate Adaptation (MIRACA) project is strengthening Europe’s critical infrastructure against the impacts of climate change. MIRACA equips public authorities with an innovative decision-support toolkit—featuring technical guidance, a resilience-testing workbench, and an interactive online viewer—to assess risks, explore adaptation strategies, and close data gaps. With open-access models and practical insights from five diverse European use cases, MIRACA empowers communities to implement cost-effective, resilient infrastructure solutions across the continent.