Tenured professor of River Science and Climate Resilience. As an applied geomorphologist, my role delves into the form and behaviour of fluvial systems, which are governed by fluxes of water and sediment both longitudinally and laterally. It is essential that we understand fully our river catchments if we are to value the future of our freshwater systems. Many of the world’s river systems have been altered and managed for different purposes over hundreds of years; as a result our shifted baseline of what “natural rivers” look like dictates that rivers be divorced from their floodplains. However, to become resilient to disasters such as flooding and droughts, scientific understanding, dissemination, and education are needed. My research and teaching explore the role of applied river restoration, natural sediment management, true natural flood management, to restore functional rivers, wetlands, ecologically rich valley bottoms, carbon sequestration. We have achieved some success, and we must build on these successes. There is much to do but award winning restoration partnerships have shown that we can make a difference. Accolades include winner of the European River Prize in 2022; UK river prize in 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021. There are plenty of opportunities to undertake research MSc topics, and PhD topics, please do get in touch.

I am a river scientist who specialises in the use of research and education to appropriately manage and design sustainable river restoration projects. My research extends across fluvial and glacial fields, however my primary interest lies in the development and application of scientific guidelines to promote an era of holistic river and floodplain restoration. This is achieved by working closely with partners across the UK including the Environment Agency, Natural England, RSPB, National Trust, Councils, Water supply companies, Wildlife Trusts and River Trusts.

Lecturer at University of Salford. Principle duties were Teaching and Research in the broad area of Geography. My focus is physical geography, with specific areas of research are in the science of rivers; in particular hydromorphology, geomorphology, river restoration. I am interested in the way that natural sediment transport dynamics interact with catchment connectivity, and the role that these play in flooding and ecohydraulics. The influence of climate change on water is a particular interest of mine with a rapidly multiplying population water is both a finite resource for humanity and a threat for cities.My research centers on the use of remote sensing technologies such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), lidar and GPS to map and model spatial and temporal changes in hydraulics, ecology, fluvial habitats, hydromorphology and potential flood risk often using 1, 2 & 3 dimension river simulation. I have rapidly increased use of UAVs for survey. Data from drones have been used in collaboration with a wealth of other disciplines and in industry. Examples range from: wetland water level management in South Africa, to forest ecosystems in Chernobyl, valley bottoms in Chile and Argentina and Alpine glaciers in Switzerland. I also work and research across the UK in river rehabilitation and management where pre- and post-river restoration monitoring and quantifying river response is a specific academic research interest of mine to understand how we can create a sustainable future for our rivers and their floodplains. An example partnership project on the River Tame/Trent in Staffordshire (with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England, JBA Consulting and Network Rail) was runner up in the 2016 European River Restoration 2016 prize.

Along with our central research objectives into climate change in high mountain environments, we are a Charitable Company providing practical experience and opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate students conducting Alpine research.Each year, the Alpine Glacier Project (AGP) collects data on discharge, water temperature, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, sediment content, solar and reflection radiation, and pH over the summer melt season. We principally work in the Findelen and Gorner glacial valleys, Kanton Wallis, Switzerland. In addition to meltwater quality and quantity, the AGP has conducted research into climatic variation and glacier mass changes with the use of drones, topographic survey and photogrammetry. Following the legacy of Prof David N. Collins it is our aim to monitor, understand and continue research using the long time series of melting Alpine glaciers and changing hydrological regimes from high mountain basins. Over its 50 year history, AGP members have published research in many internationally circulated peer-reviewed scientific publications.

AquaUoS existed as an enterprise consultancy within the University of Salford. It offered an innovative and unique service; built on a scientific foundation we connected environmental managers directly with academics, utilised cutting edge technology and researchm university skills and resources, our aim drove innovation and improved sustainability on environmental projects.Entrained in our ethos of enhancing the environment, and the next generation of students, our internationally renowned river management team were world leaders in applied hydromorphology and river restoration. Offering a process based approach to hydromorphology, hydraulic modelling and survey services to provide national and international award winning river restoration design. We operated at the forefront of the latest technologies, including multispectral cameras, lidar, UAVs/drones and river simulation technology. As a UKAS ISO 9001 accredited business, our specialism was to deliver complex river restoration schemes and projects. The team worked with natural processes and natural flood management to construct and deliver sustainable river restoration measures to mitigate fluvial risk, drought resilience, significant habitat enhancement and carbon sequestration. Aquauos re-wiggled rivers, constructed wetlands, installed a wide variety of natural flood management measures, and worked collaboratively with the Environment Agency, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish National Heritage, Office of Public Works (Ireland) along with national Wildlife Trust, Rivers Trusts, the RSPB, and the National Trust across countries. We received research funding from Government, Councils and UK reserach Institutes to further our work in protecting people, space and natural habitats.