Introduction

Dear Members,

Welcome to the Autumn 2025 edition of the GAI newsletter.

In this edition we have snapshots of interesting research activity from our geomorphology community, and announce the 2026 GAI Annual Workshop! We hope you enjoy this issue, and thank you to all our contributors.

Please share with any interested folk and encourage them to join the GAI, more information can be found at our website: https://www.irishgeomorphology.ie/

Did you know?

Save the date! GAI Annual Workshop 2026

Save the date of April 24th 2026 for the next GAI Annual Workshop to be held at University College Cork. Details will be forthcoming. We hope to see you all there!

2026 Membership fees due January 31st

Members are reminded that fees for the 2026 calendar year are due by 31 January 2026. At this time, the listserv and newsletter emailing lists will be updated to current paying members and registered undergraduates. Undergraduates must re-register for the new calendar year.

Please ensure your membership is up to date. Fees/registration can be arranged via the website: https://www.irishgeomorphology.ie/membership

Job Opportunity at AtkinsRealis

AtkinsRealis are recruiting for a Lead Hydromorphologist/Geomorphologist. You can find out more here: https://careers.atkinsrealis.com/en/jobs/lead-hydromorphologist-geomorphologist-r-138884

New information series: Geomorphology Sites of Ireland

The GAI is developing a new information series to introduce some of the fascinating geomorphology sites across Ireland. Prof. Robert Devoy and Dr Peter Glanville authored the first of this series about the Cork Harbour region, introducing the Late Cenozoic Geomorphology of the Munster Basin. They explain why this site is of geomorphological interest, outline key geological features, and celebrate the longstanding scientific research tradition that seeks to unravel the mysteries of this very special Irish location. Visit the page here: https://www.irishgeomorphology.ie/resources/geomorphology-sites

Members are welcome to create a similar article to help build the library of Irish geomorphological sites - please email the Committee to discuss.

Recent news and events

Maria Cooper (TCD Geography) presented with prestigious Global Undergraduate Award

As part of its annual global summit event in Dublin, the Global Undergraduate Awards (GUA), the world’s leading academic awards programme for undergraduate research, awarded 25 global winners with the prestigious Thomas Clarkson Gold Medal, including Maria Cooper from TCD Geography. Maria won the global award for her submission in the Earth & Environmental Sciences category. Following an extensive judging process by 500 academics, the winners were selected from over 2,400 submissions spanning 348 universities in 99 countries across 25 categories. Congratulations Maria!

2025 GAI Bursary awardees

Earlier this year, Prof. Richard A. Marston very generously made a donation to the GAI for the purpose of three bursaries. After a competitive process, these were awarded by the GAI to well-deserving PhD students: 

- Kevin Walsh, PhD candidate from the Department of Geography at University College Cork.

- Haram Riaz, PhD candidate from Atlantic Technological University Sligo.

- Alice Watts, PhD candidate from the School of Natural Sciences at Trinity College Dublin.

Congratulations awardees! Keep reading for an update on some of their research.

Research updates

Exploring the Deep: CE25006 Expedition Update, by Dr Aaron Lim, (UCC)

Between April 24th and May 4th, our team aboard the RV Celtic Explorer and the Holland 1 ROV set out to investigate some of Ireland’s most intriguing underwater features in deep water coral reefs and pollution derived from shipwrecks. The wrecks included U-58, HMS Alyssum, and SS Miami while the cold water coral reefs were between 700 and 900 m water depth in the Belgica Mound Province, NE Atlantic. Using multibeam sonar, magnetometry, and side-scan imaging, we mapped the wrecks before deploying the ROV for detailed photogrammetric surveys. Highlights included confirming HMS Alyssum’s identity, documenting unexploded ordnance on U-58, and capturing high-resolution imagery of coral habitats across Piddington, Lucy, and Mila mounds. In total, we collected over 40 hours of HD video, providing a unique dataset into deep-sea biodiversity and cultural heritage.

Why does this matter?

Shipwrecks are part of our cultural heritage but today, they can pose environmental risks through corroding fuel tanks and unexploded ordnance, while also serving as artificial reefs that support marine life. Understanding their condition helps inform national risk assessments and conservation strategies. Similarly, cold-water coral mounds are vital biodiversity hotspots and long-term climate archives. By monitoring their structure and species composition, we gain insights into ecosystem resilience and environmental change. This expedition brings together geomorphology, ecology, and marine archaeology to tackle questions that matter for both science and society.

TU Delft Climate Institute 2025 Summer School, by GAI bursary recipient Kevin Walsh (UCC)

Earlier this year, I was kindly awarded a €300 bursary by the GAI, supported by Professor Emeritus Richard A. Marston from Kansas State University. I used this funding to attend the TU Delft Climate Institute 2025 Summer School, “Sea-level Change: Evidence, Challenges and Policy”, held in late August in Delft, the Netherlands.

This week-long course contained a series of lectures which covered numerous topics related to sea-level change; including the underlying processes; observational techniques; and modelling of future scenarios. Particular attention was paid to the role of the Antarctic Ice sheet on global sea-levels, as well as emerging research on the potential collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Demonstrations and practical exercises illustrated the used of remote sensing techniques for derivation of altimetry, ocean currents, sea surface anomalies, and surge events.

A field trip to the Sand Motor – a large sand nourishment and coastal protection project off the coast of Delft – showcased the ambitious engineering and nature-based solutions currently being deployed in the Netherlands.

Overall I found the week extremely valuable, not only for the excellent lectures from experts in the field, but also for meeting fellow researchers from across the world. As a physical geographer, I was something of an outlier – the majority of the attendees were focusing on climate modelling. However as an “end user” of the outputs of such models, the course significantly strengthened my understanding of how these results are produced.

My main take away was that, although the evidence for human induced climate change leading to sea-level rise is incredibly robust, a lot of uncertainty remains regarding how fast it may accelerate and what the potential outcomes may be. In a low-lying nation such as the Netherlands, the threat of rising sea levels is particularly acute, and the innovative approaches being implemented there offer valuable lessons for coastal countries like Ireland.

From Satellites to Smartphones: Monitoring our Changing Shores, by GAI bursary recipient Haram Riaz (ATU)

I have spent the last year exploring how cutting-edge technology and community efforts can help protect our coastlines. My PhD research in environmental science focuses on coastal erosion and shoreline changes, and how we can monitor these threats better using a mix of remote sensing satellites, machine learning models, low-cost sensors, and citizen science. In practical terms, this means blending data from space (satellite images of shifting sands and rising seas) with on-the-ground inputs from ordinary people. I recently completed a systematic review paper of over 60 academic papers to explore a question close to my heart: Can low-cost, accessible technologies help us monitor our coastlines? The answer is a resounding yes. By combining satellite remote sensing, drones, low-cost sensors, and even observations from citizen scientists on the beach, we can monitor coastal erosion and shoreline changes more comprehensively and in real time than traditional expensive methods. Satellites provide big-picture images of shoreline movement, while drones and sensors capture local details on the ground. Projects like CoastSnap turn casual beach photos into valuable data for science. Seeing these tools work together has been inspiring. It shows how innovative, low-cost approaches can complement each other to keep an eye on our changing shores.

This review is just the beginning of a larger journey. It lays the groundwork for my upcoming research, where I’ll dive deeper into harnessing citizen science data, especially crowdsourced CoastSnap beach photos (a global initiative that has shown volunteer snapshots can be nearly as accurate as GPS surveys), to map and monitor shoreline change in even greater detail. It’s exciting to think that every day, people with smartphones and simple gadgets can play a part in coastal monitoring. By blending high-tech satellite views with on-the-ground community input, we are making coastal science more accessible, and I believe this collaborative spirit will ultimately help protect the beaches and communities we all cherish.

Member news

We are delighted to welcome two new members to the GAI!

Dr Shauna Creane (UCC)

Hi, my name is Dr. Shauna Creane, and I am a Lecturer in Physical Geography in University College Cork (UCC). I hold a BSc (Hons) in Geoscience and a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering. I am the co-Director of UCC’s PGCert in Metocean for Offshore Wind and a Principal Investigator in the UCC Sustainability Institute.

My research primarily focusses on the interaction between meteorological, oceanographic, sediment transport, and morphodynamic processes over different time spans, to answer complex research questions that aims to support the sustainable use of marine resources during the energy transition. A combination of offshore site investigation and numerical modelling is often used to address these questions.

As a Chartered Marine Geoscientist, I have over six years of experience working with an offshore wind consultancy and with government bodies to aid the sustainable use of our marine space.

To contact Shauna: SCreane@ucc.ie

Dr Bernard Essel (DCU)

I am Dr Bernard Essel, a Postdoctoral Researcher on the STRATA Project, which is a two-year funded project by Geological Survey Ireland that aims to advance the understanding of rock-coast cliff erosion around Ireland. My background is in photogrammetry, remote sensing, and geocomputation, and I specialise in applying satellite, airborne, and UAV data to monitor environmental change. More broadly, I employ remote-sensing techniques for coastal management, environmental protection and environmental modelling. I am always keen to connect with others working at the intersection of geomorphology, climate change and geospatial technologies.

Within STRATA, we are quantifying cliff-erosion rates and patterns using advanced analytical approaches, including PS-InSAR deformation mapping, repeat high-resolution UAV surveys for DEM generation, and wave modelling analysis via SWAN. Our work seeks to identify the key drivers of cliff erosion and support long-term strategies for managing coastal hazards.  

To contact Bernard: bernard.essel@dcu.ie

Recent publications

Here are some examples of recent publications from GAI members. We'd love to showcase your work so if you have a publication to add to the next edition, please email us at iGeomorphology@gmail.com

Brennan, C., Summers, G., de Oliveira, L.M.C., Lim, A, Enhanced angular range analysis: a novel object-based image analysis approach for seafloor characterisation. Mar Geophys Res 46, 12 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11001-025-09574-7

Egon, A., Farrell, E., Iglesias, G., Nash, S. Measurement and Modelling of Beach Response to Storm Waves: A Case Study of Brandon Bay, Ireland. Coasts 5 (3), 32 (2025). https://doi.org/10.3390/coasts5030032

Sherman, D.J., Bae, J., Ellis, J.T., Swann, C., Parteli, E.J.R., Farrell, E., Li, B., Araújo, A.D., de Carvalho, A.M., Sherman, D.L. & Zhang, P. 2025, "Aeolian Saltation Flux Profiles: Comparison of Representation and Measurement Methods", Geosciences (Basel), vol. 15, no. 8, pp. 323. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences15080323

Fun from the field!

Applied geomorphology in action

JBA Consulting’s Dr Kate de Smeth and Ellie Smith conducted a walkover of the Sixmilewater catchment in Northern Ireland last month. This project seeks to understand fluvial sediment supply dynamics and how these relate to sediment accumulation and proposed management strategies at the mouth with Lough Neagh.

Hunting for equipment

Prof. Mary Bourke and Dr Kate de Smeth (TCD) searching for weather-beaten and overgrown equipment at their research site at the Dawn of Hope landslide in Co. Leitrim - great success!

Get in touch

To join the GAI or contribute to the newsletter please contact the GAI committee: igeomorphology@gmail.com

We welcome submissions for all sections of the newsletter, including job advertisements and grant and conference announcements. Don’t forget you can also email the GAI community any time using the listserv, or by emailing us to send out on your behalf. We'd love to hear from you!

Best wishes to everyone and stay snug this winter, 'til next time!

Kate de Smeth (Newsletter Editor), on behalf of the GAI Committee.