Role
As a Lecturer in Physical Geography in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, I teach on a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and I am currently also departmental Tutor for Stage 3, as well as Safety Officer. My research interests lie in geomorphology, geochronology and environmental change, especially in drylands.
Qualifications & background
I have a BSc (Joint Hons.) from the University of Bristol in Geography and Geology, and after narrowly avoiding a career in petroleum geology, I worked for the University of Southampton's palaeoecology laboratory for 3 years. Following this, I started a part-time PhD at the University of Sheffield with Prof David Thomas, studying the late Quaternary development of the southwestern Kalahari desert. I earned my keep at the time with various technical and RA projects, including the development of a GIS database to support a co-IGCP (International Geological Correlation Programme) initiative, and support for the luminescence dating labs in Sheffield. I moved to Oxford University in 2005, working initially as a Technician whilst I finished my PhD (awarded 2007), and then as Research Associate to the Oxford Luminescence Dating laboratory.
I joined the University of Plymouth as a Lecturer in 2010.
Professional membership
Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society
Quaternary Research Association (member)
Britsh Society for Geomorphology (member)
Teaching interests
I am module leader for GGP1104 (Practising Physical Geography), GGP300 (Advanced Fieldwork in Geography: Morocco) and GGP301 (Desert Environments).
In addition, I contribute to the undergraduate teaching on GGX1101 (Tutorial and Key Skills in Georgaphy), EOE1107 (Introductory Fieldwork and Skills), GGP2112 (Environmental Change and Archaeology) and GGX2117 (Geographical Information Systems), as well as the Masters courses EAR5203 (Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems) and GLY5101 (Isotopic and Geochemical Analysis of the Sedimentary Record).
Research interests
Quaternary environmental change
Geomorphology, particularly in drylands
Geochronology, particularly luminescence dating
UoP Research group membership
Centre for Research in Environment and Society (CeRES)
Quaternary Environments
Grants & contracts
2010 - "Establishing a multiproxy Quaternary palaeoenvironmental record for low altitude, arid mainland Spain" £2350 (UoP PUP fund)
2010 - Royal Society Conference/Travel fund £1550 (XVIII INQUA Congress, Bern, Switzerland)
2008 - “Determining the extent, timing, and cause of Quaternary uplift along the Atlantic coast of Africa and Iberia”. Collaborator on Royal Society Research grant £50k (fieldwork and OSL dating marine terraces in Portugal, Morocco and Angola with Dr Richard Walker, University of Oxford)
2008 - "Extension of linear dunes", QRA Quaternary Research Fund £475 (fieldwork in Northern Cape, South Africa)
2008 - Nominated for HEFCE Teaching Excellence Award
2007 - Royal Society Conference Fund £1100 (XVII INQUA Congress, Cairns, Australia)
2005 - QRA Conference Fund £205 (2nd Southern Deserts meeting, Arica, Chile)
2005 - BGRG Postgraduate Research grant £250 (ICP analyses for OSL dosimetry)
2004 - NERC ICP Facility £525 (ICP analyses for OSL dosimetry)
2004 - SBS Daresbury Prize joint first for best Student Poster, St Andrews, UKLum meeting.
