The fallout of Hurricane Helene in 2024 served as a definitive turning point for Pearl Choi, transforming an abstract interest in public policy into a concrete mission to take a deep dive in disaster risk management. Now completing her MSc in Urban Management and Development (UMD), she is combining international peer perspectives with machine learning to address the vulnerabilities of rapidly growing cities.
A moment of clarity in Appalachia
For a long time, Pearl was unsure which direction to take following her degree in International Political Science, finding many policy programmes that felt too "abstract". This changed when she spent weeks coordinating grassroots disaster relief efforts in Southern Appalachia. "I could see how both the local actors and larger federal government had to dance in an imperfect harmony to triage a wide range of unprecedented problem" - says Pearl. This experience acted as the connecting thread between her studies and her personal values. Upon discovering the Urban Management & Development programme, her desire to work towards a more resilient future suddenly became more clear.
Lessons from a multicultural classroom
The Master's programme provided a setting where Pearl collaborated with classmates from over 30 different nationalities. This diversity taught her that urban planning in a multicultural context requires more than just speaking a shared language; it requires taking the time to understand one another's values and unique strengths. Pearl applied this directly during a consulting project where she acted as a project manager for the group, a role she always enjoyed. "I contributed by producing an agenda for each meeting, labelling what tasks were to be covered and which deliverables should be prioritised."
Beyond technical skills, Pearl credits her peers and lecturers with teaching her vital soft perspectives: that accepting help from others is not criticism but a form of connection, and that sometimes seeing what is missing [from a city] is just as important as seeing what is there.
Mapping the future of urban risk
Currently, Pearl is focusing her thesis on urban resilience and disaster risk management within complex systems, with a particular interest in what happens when a city grows too quickly, or without proper planning. Using unsupervised machine learning (like clustering) to isolate city archetypes, she hopes to move beyond the basic understanding of vulnerability to find patterns that exist regardless of geographical locations. "As disaster risk management in urban areas becomes increasingly critical in the ongoing climate crisis, I hope that these archetypes can help label different styles of risk management approaches."
As she nears the end of the programme, Pearl is determined to find her role in the world of disaster risk management. It is equally important for her to take time and stay in Rotterdam for another year to pursue research into urban commons, claims-making, and DIY skateparks. For her, the goal remains personal: "A sense of community and becoming part of my environment is what drives my pursuit for a more resilient future".
Any advice for future students?
While preparing for her next steps, Pearl encourages prospective students to really take the time to consider their options and values. While she is a firm supporter of continuing education, she emphasises that you don’t need a perfect road map or a fear of failing at new paths. Instead, she suggests asking deeper questions about your life: whether you plan to pivot your career, how your finances will look, or if you intend to know Rotterdam only through the eyes of a student, or more as a resident of the city. Ultimately, her advice is to remain open to personal change and to be cautious of the time spent between 'thinking' and 'doing'.
