- B510 Portland Square, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA
- matt.westoby@plymouth.ac.uk
Profiles
Dr Matt Westoby
Associate Professor of Physical Geography
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (Faculty of Science and Engineering)
Biography
Biography
I am a geomorphologist who is fascinated by the way in which landscapes respond to extreme, often sudden-onset perturbations, such as natural dam-break floods. To study these phenomena, I use a range of field- and remote sensing-based methods, such as change detection applied to highly detailed digital elevation data, and numerical hydrodynamic models.
Prior to taking up a position as Associate Professor of Physical Geography in SoGEES in June 2023, I was based in the Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences at Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne, where I was a Postdoctoral Research Assistant on NERC- and Environment Agency-funded projects (2014-2016), a Vice Chancellor's Research Fellow in Extreme Environments (2017-2020), and Assistant (2020-2022) and Associate Professor of Physical Geography (2022-2023). I was employed in industry as a hydrologist (Land and Water Resource Consultants (Mannvit), Cambridge) from 2013-2014.
Qualifications
PhD (Modelling glacial lake outburst floods), Aberystwyth University, 2013
MSc Glaciology, Aberystwyth University, 2009
BSc (Hons) Physical Geography, University of Southampton, 2007
Fellow of the Higher Education Authority, 2018
Professional membership
Full member, British Society for Geomorphology
Regular member, European Geosciences Union
Roles on external bodies
Trustee and Honorary Treasurer, British Society for Geomorphology (2021 - present)
Research
Research
Research interests
I am a geomorphologist who specialises in:
1) Drivers and impacts of rapid landscape evolution, mainly in high-mountain systems affected by extreme events such as glacial lake outburst floods (or 'GLOFs'), rock and ice avalanches, and debris flows. I use numerical models, satellite- and field-based surveying, and geomorphological analysis to explore the immediate and legacy impacts of these events and their societal implications.
2) High-resolution 3D topographic reconstruction and volumetric change detection. I use these methods for analysing the evolution of landforms and their landscapes. I was an early adopter of low-cost 'structure from motion' photogrammetry for geoscience applications, and routinely use uncrewed aerial vehicles (or drones) and terrestrial laser scanning to this end.
To date I have worked on research projects based in the UK, the Italian and Swiss Alps, the Nepalese and Chinese Himalaya and the Tibetan Plateau, the Mediterranean, and Antarctica. Most recently I was involved in high-profile projects which quantified, for the first time, the risk posed by GLOFs globally (Taylor et al., 2023, Nature Communications), and the immediate and legacy impacts of the tragic Chamoli disaster in Uttarakhand, India (Westoby et al., In Press, Geology; Shugar et al., 2021, Science)
I am currently lead- or co-supervising PhD students who are investigating (i) global permafrost degradation, and (ii) GLOF-related problems.
Do get in touch if you're interested in collaborating on any of the above themes!
Research degrees awarded to supervised students
Dr Rebecca Stewart: 'Reconciling debris supply and transport in deglaciating catchments' (Awarded 2022, Northumbria University)
Publications
Publications
Key publications
Key publications are highlighted
Journals