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GG2021 Geomorphology

I teach the second half of this 1.0 course unit module, focusing on aeolian and glacial geomorphology with a concluding section on long-term landscape evolution. The lectures are supported by virtual fieldwork seminars using Google Earth. My interest in using virtual fieldwork for teaching has been supported by a GEES Subject Centre teaching research grant for the project Google Earth, Virtual Fieldwork and Maths in Geomorphology (2007/08) for which I was also awarded a RHUL College Teaching Prize in 2009.

GG2003 Geographical Field Training II – Ireland

I lead two days’ activities on this field course:

River Channel Processes and Flood Geomorphology

The aims of this day are to reconstruct flood discharge and stream power for a recent flood of the Glendassan River in the Wicklow Mountains. Debris evidence, indicating the elevation of recent floodwaters, is mapped and surveyed along with the channel topography in order to subsequently calculate the flow hydraulics of the event. The flow data is linked to the geomorphology of the reach including evidence for erosion and gravel bar clast sizes.

Late Holocene Floodplain Evolution

This field day takes place on a floodplain of the River Liffey, which has evidence of floodplain change in the form of fluvial terraces and palaeochannels. The aims are to: 1) investigate changing floodplain environments during the late Holocene using a variety of field techniques (geomorphological mapping and survey; floodplain coring and stratigraphy); and 2) compare bankfull flow discharge of the contemporary Liffey channel and a palaeochannel.

GG3035 Holocene Rivers and Society

This course investigates how climatic variability and human impact have caused change within river basins during the Holocene. This is relevant as the river basin is the fundamental landscape feature occupied by most global societies and, therefore, understanding the impact of future global change on river basins is of critical importance. This advanced level course covers a range of multidisciplinary methodologies needed for understanding Holocene river change, for example floodplain geomorphology, sedimentology, stratigraphy and dating; alluvial geoarchaeology and palaeoecology; and palaeoflood hydrology. These are presented through recent published case studies that help to build a natural history of rivers over the last 10,000 years.

MSc. Quaternary Science GG5229: Late Quaternary Fluvial Palaeohydrology

The principal aim of this option is to enable students to interpret local, basin and regional scale river responses to tectonic, climate and human drivers i.e. the option will provide a more geomorphologically based approach than other option courses available on the MSc. It will focus on the impact of various climatic events and human activity on river basins. The role of palaeohydrology in river management will be stressed. The lectures will be supported by a fieldtrip to a floodplain site in South Devon. Topics include:

• Complexities of floodplain sedimentary environments e.g. channel changes & sediment preservation potential; local, basin vs regional responses.
• Techniques of reconstructing floodplain environments: geomorphological mapping and coring; floodplain stratigraphy and depositional environments;
• Deciphering the role of autogenic and allogenic (climatic events and human impact) drivers on basin scale geomorphic and hydrologic processes.
• Late Quaternary megafloods and extreme Holocene floods (palaeoflood hydrology)
• Applied palaeohydrology and river management.

MSc. Practising Sustainable Development GG5401: Module 9 Water and Development