Dr Christopher Stokes

Kit has been lead investigator for CMAR since October 2015. Since then he has worked on consultancy projects relating to coastal flooding, beach safety, coastal engineering, and marine renewable energy impact assessment, with the work spanning Ireland, Scotland, and England.

Kit recently completed a PhD investigating the effects of wave energy extraction on waves, beach morphology, and coastal water-users. He has a wide range of analytical and fieldwork experience, including completing over 50 topographic beach surveys, assisting in multiple storm response surveys, conducting social research, and statistical analysis and modelling. He has authored 6 peer-reviewed journal articles, 2 conference papers, and has presented at 5 international conferences. Prior to his PhD, Kit worked as an assistant coastal modeller at a consultancy in New Zealand, focusing on beach response to submerged structures. He recently completed a consultancy project for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution where he developed a statistical model of life risk at beaches throughout the British Isles, which will inform the roll out of future lifeguard services.

• Impact fellow for the 5-year NERC funded SWEEP project

Since March 2017, Kit is also an impact fellow on the SWEEP project (The South West Partnership for Environment and Economic Prosperity - http://www.sweep.ac.uk/blog). Within this role, Kit and Dr Tim Poate will be developing a coastal flood warning system for the south west of England. SWEEP is one of only two awards made under the new NERC Environmental Science Impact Programme. Funded for £5million from 2017-22, SWEEP seeks to use NERC and related research to generate economic and/or social improvements in the South West while also enhancing the natural capital of the region. Uniting the University of Exeter, Plymouth University and Plymouth Marine Labs, the programme only started in February 2017 but has already brought together over 40 businesses and policy decision makers who have contributed a further £11m in co-funding. 

(2011-2015) PhD Coastal impacts of Marine Renewable Energy.

(2010-2011) Assistant coastal modeller; ASR Marine Consulting; Raglan; NZ.

(2008) BSc Surf Science and Technology.