About Me

The aim of my research is to better understand the impacts of humans on surface processes across Earth Systems, 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 Loughborough seeking long-term employment to teach and continue my research on Anthropocene Sedimentology.

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 dancing. I am a strong DEI advocate and an LGBTQ+ ally.

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.

Grant Awards

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

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

Project: “Predicting the Distribution and Concentration of Pollutants in Reservoir Stratigraphy”.


British Council - 2017

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


International Association for Sedimentologists (IAS) - 2017

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


Nuffield Foundation - 2008

Project: Nuffield Foundation grant for Gold CREST Award placement