David Kitchen

Associate Professor of Geology, University of Richmond
David Kitchen earned a B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Geology from Queens University Belfast. After working for two years as a petroleum geologist in the North Sea, he started teaching Earth Sciences as lecturer at the Ulster Polytechnic and later as a member of the faculty at the University of Ulster

Following ten years of active teaching, research and research supervision, Dr. Kitchen was appointed to the position of European Officer for the University with a major focus on international research and development. During this time, he worked closely with the European Commission in Brussels, with particular focus on research policy, regional development, and the EU Framework research programs. He was directly involved with project development and funding for higher education and research initiatives in both East and West Europe.

Dr. Kitchen was then appointed as director of international programs at the University. He led faculty research collaboration with Universities across the European Union, USA, Canada and Mexico. While focused on research administration during this period of his career, Dr. Kitchen continued to supervise research students and taught geology as adjunct professor with the UK's Open University.

In 2001 Dr. Kitchen moved to the United States to work at the University of Richmond. As Associate Dean in the School of Professional & Continuing Studies, he directs the university’s summer undergraduate program and leads a team that delivers high-value professional education programs and courses to the community in Central Virginia.

As an Associate Professor, Dr. Kitchen teaches 2-3 courses a year on natural hazards and climate change. He is an active member of the environmental studies course team and has served as representative to the Council of Environmental Deans and Directors, Environmental Fellow for the Associated Colleges of the South, as a College Fellow, and as coordinator of university environmental programs.

His interests have long focused on natural hazards and climate change. He is currently writing a textbook on natural hazards and has written a textbook on global climate change first published internationally by Prentice in 2013, then Routledge in 2016 and now a second edition for Routledge in 2023.

His interests have long focused on volcanoes and volcanic processes, especially related to the British Tertiary Volcanic Province. Dr. Kitchen considers himself privileged to have visited and studied many active and ancient volcanoes across the world and is currently writing a textbook on natural hazards. His geological interests extend to ancient climate and climate change, and he has written a textbook on Global Climate published internationally by Prentice in 2013, Routledge in 2016 and a second edition for Routledge in 2022.