About Me

The aim of my research is to better understand the long-term impacts of human impact on surface processes across Earth Systems in the Anthropocene, particularly in rivers.

After completing my PhD in fluvial sedimentology, I undertook a Teaching Fellowship at the University of Leicester from 2018-2021. In 2023 I was awarded the Roland Goldring Award by the British Sedimentary Research Group for making a noteworthy contribution to sedimentology. I achieved Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2020 through the PGCAPP route with distinction, and received a student nomination for best supervisor.

In 2022, I formally began my research career as I undertook my Fulbright-Lloyd’s of London Visiting Scholar post to the University of New Orleans. My project focus was to work to better understand the accumulation of pollutants in fluvial pathways, particularly in dam and reservoir complexes. Over the year, I worked with charities, and established collaborations across the USA and Louisiana.

I am now based in the UK and affiliated with the University of Leicester, and Louisiana State University. I am self-employed and accepting collaborations and projects, whilst seeking long-term employment to continue my research to establish Anthropocene Sedimentology as a sub-discipline of geoscience.

I continue to work in traditional geoscience and geomorphology as well as around contemporary methods. My technical expertise is in the development of innovative multi-disciplinary approaches (geology, geomorphology, and remote sensing), for analysis of the composition and architecture of rivers on both Earth and Mars.

I have excellent communication and interpersonal skills that enable me to develop and maintain an international research network. I lead the multidisciplinary Anthropocene Sediment Network that I founded in 2020.

Beyond academia, I enjoy writing fiction, hiking, and fixing old things to give them a second life. I am a strong DEI advocate and an LGBTQ+ ally.

Grant Awards

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); International Geological Correlation Programme (IGCP) Grant - 2021-2026

Amount: $50,000

Project: “LANGUAGE of the Anthropocene; Present and future Geology – the global scale evidence of the Anthropocene (Acronym: LANGUAGE - Lessons in Anthropogenic impact: a knowledge Network of Geological signals to Unite and Assess Global Evidence of the Anthropocene”.

Awardees: Wagreich M., Bibi M., Fiałkiewicz-Kozieł B., Ivar Do Sul J., Olaka L., Russell C., Tejada M.L.G. and Zhang L.: University of Vienna, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, University of Leicester, Department of Geology University of Nairobi, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, University of Adam Mickiewicz, Quaid-i-Azam University.


Fulbright-Lloyd’s of London Visiting Scholarship - 2022-2023

Amount: $60,000
Project: “Predicting the Distribution and Concentration of Pollutants in Reservoir Stratigraphy”.


British Council - 2017

Amount: £1500
Project: Funding to attend a conference in Tomsk, Russia – Prediction of complex reservoir systems (All expenses)


International Association for Sedimentologists (IAS) - 2017

Amount: €500
Project: Funding to attend the International Conference on Fluvial Sedimentology (ICFS) in Calgary, Canada


Nuffield Foundation - 2008

Amount: £350
Project: Nuffield Foundation grant for Gold CREST Award placement

Awards

  • British Sedimentology Research Group (BSRG) Roland Goldring Award, recognising a noteworthy contribution to any field of sedimentology (2023).

  • British Sedimentology Research Group (BSRG) one-off “Community Award” for initiating and founding Seds Online (2021).

  • Nominated for the Students’ Union Best Supervisor “Superstar Award” by a student (2020).

  • Fellow of Advance Higher Education (HEA) – I achieved distinction at both phases of the two-year course (2020).

  • Honorarium from Max Planck Institute for the History of Science to deliver a plenary session, lead a seminar at the Anthropocene River Campus, and undertake analysis on Mississippi River sediment (2019).

  • Honorarium from Territorial Agency to take part in roundtable discussion on the question “Anthropocene: when are we?” as part of their Architect’s Association Plan the Planet open seminar series (2019).

  • Distinction for “Supporting Learning in Higher Education” course for the Higher Education Associate Fellowship Certificate (2019).

  • Merit Award from the University of Leicester for outstanding contribution in 1st year of employment (2018).

  • Nomination for a Leeds Student Union Partnership Award (2017), for having a positive impact as a skills mentor and instructor for undergraduate students.

  • British Sedimentology Research Group (BSRG) Graduate Student Poster Prize for quality and clarity of a poster presented at the AGM (2014).

  • Dennis Field Award for: "The final year student who throughout the course has displayed qualities of scholarship, enthusiasm, determination and integrity" (2013).

  • University of Leicester Geology Department “Leadership and Initiative” award (2012) for setting up and leading the Geology Green Impact Team to “Best Newcomer”, and “Silver Award” in our first year.

  • Duke of Edinburgh Awards (2006-2009). The Gold award included a 50-mile assessed expedition in the Brecon Beacons over 5 days; our expedition purpose was studying geology for which I wrote the report.

  • Gold CREST Award (2008) I organized and undertook a seven-week placement at the British Geological Survey headquarters in Keyworth, Nottingham.

Teaching Experience

My teaching philosophy is to nurture students in both their academic learning, and their professional skills development during their higher education journey. To achieve this, I encourage interdisciplinary critical thinking and help them to build their transferrable skill sets and become confident, independent learners, hence developing a class of professionals.

Module Courses

I have taught students a range of subjects across all year groups:

First year:

    Introductory Field Course - Isle of Arran: An introduction to geology in the field whereby students are taught good practice and techniques in collection, description, and interpretation of field data, to apply to geological mapping.

    Tutorial Workshops: I provided skills sessions to assist 1st years with time management techniques.

Second year:

    Depositional Processes and Environments – MODULE COORDINATOR: The physical processes of sedimentation and nature of sedimentary facies in both clastic and carbonate sedimentary environments. I led two coursework assessments and developed the module content during a curriculum overhaul.

    Interpreting Geological Maps and Stratigraphy: How to read the rock record through stratigraphic columns and maps. In a series of hands-on practical classes and problem solving, training is provided using published geological maps to infer geological histories involving basin subsidence, orogenic deformation, intrusion, and exhumation.

Third year:

    Concepts in Sedimentology and Stratigraphy with Applications to Reservoir Geoscience – MODULE COORDINATOR: The response of sedimentary environments to sea level change, integrated with how hydrocarbon reserves originate, accumulate, and become trapped. I co-developed an innovative coursework approach that consistently received excellent feedback.

    Planetary Science: Exploring how geological and geophysical approaches are used to understand the evolution of our own, and neighboring, planets. I taught mapping of surface processes on other planets in context with Martian sedimentology.

    Dissertation Supervisor: I provided topical research questions for the students and encouraged them to develop and explore their own ideas so that they could develop the necessary skills for extended scientific work.

    Field-based Project Supervisor: Supporting the students in planning, safely executing, and presenting a coherent synthesis of their diverse data sets from the independent field-based projects.

Fourth year (Masters Level):

    Advanced Field Course - Sicily, Italy: Advanced geological synthesis and problem-solving skills so that the students could construct a geological transect and demonstrate the geological history of the area with supporting evidence.

    Fundamentals of GIS: Explore techniques in GIS through practical experience of using state of-the-art software, and collect, integrate, and manipulate data from a range of sources to undertake fundamental spatial analysis.

    Masters Research Project Supervisor: I provided topical research questions that provide a framework for students to undertake analyses on a subject of interest. I organized placement opportunities where possible and encouraged students to attend conferences and apply for student grants. For BSRG 2019, both of my supervisees were successful in attaining SEPM travel grants to attend. At BSRG 2020, one of my supervisees achieved an Honorable Mention for their poster.

Skills Sessions

I have voluntarily developed teaching materials for professional training workshops for eight years:

    Writing essays in exam conditions – (Delivered as part of the second-year module “Depositional Processes and Environments” where students sit essay-style examinations for the first time in their degree (2018-2021)): Encourages students to develop essay structure under time restrictions, and appropriate their revision techniques accordingly.

    Time management – (Delivered as a first-year tutorial session (2019 and 2020)): Provided techniques and philosophies to students to help them manage both their university assignments and personal engagements.

    Networking - (Delivered at departmental Careers Days at both the Universities of Leicester (2013, 2014) and Leeds (2014, 2015); to the undergraduates preparing to attend the British Conference of Undergraduate Research (BCUR) from the University of Leeds, (2015, 2016); to Masters students in the School of Earth and Environment at Leeds in geophysics (2015), structural (2015), and sustainability (2015, 2016); to final year students in the School of Geography, Geology, and the Environment at the University of Leicester preparing to attend their first conference (2017-2020): Aims to boost confidence of students and provide them with skills to help them to be proactive in building a professional network at events and online via social media.

    Public Speaking - (Delivered at Skills Conferences at Leeds Student Union (2016-2017); delivered as seminar-style workshop tutorials for PhD students in the STRAT research group at Leeds; for Masters students and PhD students at Leicester as required (2015-2020)): Techniques to improve overall technique of public speaking and confidence.

    Preparing conference presentations - (Delivered to the undergraduates preparing to attend the British Conference of Undergraduate Research (BCUR) from the University of Leeds; to PhD students in the STRAT research group in preparation for BSRG 2016; to Masters students preparing for their first conferences 2017-2020): Techniques for drawing a story from a research project and constructing a talk, or poster presentation, around its key objectives.

    Quiet networking - (Delivered through the University of Leeds Careers Centre and tailored for PhD students (2015, 2016)): Provides techniques to encourage confidence for introverted PhD students so they can network better.

    Chairing and facilitating - (Delivered at Skills Conferences at Leeds Student Union (2016-2017)): How to organize and lead a committee meeting; critical thinking exercises in identifying the problem in complex issues.

    Confident communication for international students – (A one-off workshop requested by students via the Leeds Student Union (2017)): The workshop progressed from one-on-one networking to public speaking over two hours.

Supervision Roles

Doctoral dissertations

2021-present: Roodra Manogaran, Louisiana State University “Paleohydrology, Geomorphology, and Sedimentary Architecture of Inverted Channels in the Martian Equatorial Zone“

2021-present: Marie Marsden – [CENTA: Collaboration with the University of Birmingham, British Geological Survey, the Natural History Museum, and RPS Group] “Stratigraphy and dinosaur palaeontology of the Wealden Group, Isle of Wight”

2020-2023: Daniel Lopez, Louisiana State University ”Seepage-induced pore pressure variations beneath an earthen levee”

2018-present: Alice Fugagnoli – ‘Plastic, a new anthropogenic component of the geological cycle: its chemical and physical behavior and transformation’

2016-2022: Yasmin Yonan – ‘The controls on the vertical distribution of microplastics in sediment’

Masters theses

2020-2021: Charlotte Dykes - Fabrics to fibers: understanding how textiles add to environmental microplastics through laboratory experiments.

2020-2021: James Hardwick – Understanding the relationship between root depth and river stability (James achieved the highest grade in the year, for which he was awarded a prize).

2020-2021: Tom Snaith – [Collaboration with the Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Germany, and Augsburg University, USA] Investigating distribution of microplastic pollution in the lower Mississippi River.

2019-2021: Connor Burchell – [Collaboration with the University of Hull] Investigating the hydrodynamic properties of meso- and macroplastics.

2019-2020: Anthony Morgan – [Collaboration with RPS Group] A sedimentological analysis of floodplain successions in the Wealden Formation, Isle of Wight.

2019-2020: Jasmine Lycett – Understanding how microfibers shed during a washing cycle.

2018-2019: Thomas Goldring – [Collaboration with RPS Group] Sedimentology of the Wealden Formation, Isle of Wight.

2017-2018: William Crabbe – Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction of the Terminal Ediacaran Kotlin Formation from Estonia and Russia through Microfacies and Paleontological Analysis.