ICARUS has a thriving PhD student community with students engaged in a broad range of climate-related research topics. Current and former PhD students have published multiple peer-reviewed articles. For more details on their backgrounds and thesis projects please view the drop-down entries below.
Silvia Caloca Casado
Biography
Silvia is a Ph.D student at National University of Ireland Maynooth. She graduated with an honours B.Sc. in Geology (Speciality: Engineering geology) from the University of Oviedo, Spain (1999). After graduating, she worked as a geologist in the geotechnical-civil engineering field in Spain (Engineering & Mining faculty, University of Oviedo). She began to work in the Geological Survey of Ireland in 2001 initially in the Quaternary-Geotechnical section and after in the Groundwater and Information Management sections. In recent years she extended her studies through two Masters awarded by the National University of Maynooth: Research M.Sc. in Geographical Information Systems, Geophysics and Remote Sensing (2006) and M. Sc. in Climate Change (2009). She joined ICARUS in 2010 to work on an INFOMAR funded research project leading to a Ph.D studentship focused on the coastal vulnerability mapping of the Dublin Bay area to future impacts of climate change. She is currently on her final year.
Research Interests
• Climate change
• Remote sensing and Geophysics
• Geology
Thesis
Thesis title: Coastal vulnerability mapping of the Dublin Bay area to future impacts of climate change
Supervisor: Professor John Sweeney and Doctor Paul Gibson
Description of Project: The project aims to assess the vulnerability of the Dublin Bay area to impacts of climate change by integrating results from different data sources onshore and offshore, modelling activities and approaches to provide very high resolution climate change impact and vulnerability assessment studies in this high sensitive area.
Funding
INFOMAR funded by two research projects awarded in 2010 and 2012.
Publications and Abstracts
1. Xavier Monteys (1), Paul Harris (2), and Silvia Caloca (1). 2014. Empirical water depth predictions in Dublin Bay based on satellite EO multispectral imagery and multibeam data using spatially weighted geographical analysis. Geophysical Research Abstracts Vol. 16, EGU2014-6677, 2014. EGU General Assembly 2014.
2. Gibson, P. J. (1), Caloca Casado, S. (2), Pellicer, X. (3) and Jiménez-Martín, D. (4). 2014. Mapping the internal structure of Bull Island, eastern Ireland with ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). 46th Conference of Irish Geographers. UCD, 8-10 May 2014. (Publication in progress).
3. Caloca, S. & Sweeney, J. 2010. Identification of physical indicators of coastal vulnerability to impacts of climate change and sea level rise in the Dublin area. Scientific report funded by INFOMAR in collaboration with the Irish Climate Research and Analysis Units (ICARUS). Call 2009-2010.
4. Caloca, S., Gibson, P., Martín, D. 2012. Integrated Coastal Mapping of Dublin Bay.Geomorphology based on geophysical data, Satellite inferred bathymetry and 3D integration with INFOMAR datasets. Scientific report funded by INFOMAR in collaboration with the Irish Climate Research and Analysis Units (ICARUS) & the Environmental Geophysics Unit (Dept Geography, NUIM). Call 2011-2012.
5. Monteys, X.; Praeg, D.; Caloca, S.; Gardia-Gil, S. 2008. Iceberg keel marks on the Porcupine and Rockall Banks, NE Atlantic. American Geophysical Union, Spring Meeting 2008, abstract OS24A-06.
6. Sleeman, A.G., Scanlon, R.P., Pracht, M & Caloca, S. 2008. Landscape and Rocks of the Burren. (Special Sheet in the Bedrock Geology 1:50,000 Map Series (Geological Survey of Ireland).
Presentations
1. Gibson, P., Caloca, S ., Pellicer, X., J., Jiménez-Martín, D. 2014. Mapping the internal structure of Bull Island, eastern Ireland with ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity (ERT). 46th Conference of Irish Geographers. UCD, 8-10 May 2014.
2. Xavier Monteys (1), Paul Harris (2), and Silvia Caloca (1). 2014. Empirical water depth predictions in Dublin Bay based on satellite EO multispectral imagery and multibeam data using spatially weighted geographical analysis. Geophysical Research Abstracts Vol. 16, EGU2014-6677, 2014. EGU General Assembly 2014.
3. Caloca, S., Gibson, P., and Martín, D. 2012. Integrated Coastal Mapping of Dublin Bay.Geomorphology based on geophysical data, Satellite inferred bathymetry and 3D integration with INFOMAR datasets. INFOMAR annual research meeting. Geological Survey of Ireland. March 2012.
4. Caloca, S. 2011. Coastal vulnerability assessment of the Dublin area to future impacts of climate change. ICARUS (NUIM) workshop regarding Mary Robinson’s visit. February 2011.
5. Quaternary and Geophysical Research workshop: Physical properties study on Irish peat bogs using a Multi-sensor core logger. ICARUS (NUIM). April 2009.
6. Annual GSI colloquium: Geophysical investigation of Quaternary glacial deposits in North Co. Offaly and South Co. Westmeath. Geological Survey of Ireland, July 2007.
Other
1. Caloca, S., Sweeney, J., Gibson, P. 2012. Coastal vulnerability assessment to impacts of climate change and sea level rise in the Dublin area. Annual staff meeting. February 2012. (Poster presentation).
2. Caloca, S. 2011. Coastal Vulnerability and Sea level rise. Irish Meteorological Society. Newsletter. Series 2, Edition 4. April 2011.
3. Caloca, S, Sweeney, J and Gibson, P. 2011. Identification of physical indicators of coastal vulnerability to impacts of climate change and sea level rise in the Dublin area. Irish Met Society Conference. March 26th, NUI, Maynooth 2011 (Poster and Podcast).
4. Caloca, S., Sweeney, J., Gibson, P., Scanlon, R. 2010. Assessing regional coastal vulnerability indicators to impacts of climate change and sea level rise in the Dublin area. Geoscience Conference in Dublin Castle, Dublin, November 2010 (Poster presentation).
5. Caloca, S., Monteys, X., McCarron, S., Downes, M. 2009. Physical Properties study of Irish Peat Bogs using non-destructive high-resolution techniques. Transient Changes in Past Warm Climates workshop. Past Global Change Reconstruction & Modelling Techniques Course. University of Urbino, Italy (USSP); July 23-August 5, 2009 (Poster Presentation).
6. Caloca, S. 2007.Geophysical Investigation of Quaternary Glacial Sediments in South Co. Westmeath and North Co. Offaly. Geology matters, The Newsletter of the Geological Survey of Ireland. Issue No. 6, Spring 2007.
7. Caloca, S., McKeon, C., Scanlon, R.P. and Pellicer, X. 2007 – A GIS of landslides in Ireland, 13th EC GI and GIS Workshop, Porto (Poster Presentation).
Contact Details
Laraghbryan House (Room 1.9)
North Campus
Tel: +353 1 708 6836
Email: SILVIA.CALOCACASADO.2009@nuim.ie
Darren Clarke
Biography
As an environmental social scientist, Darren’s research interests span disciplines such as Human Geography, Climate Change Adaptation, Flood Risk Management and Environmental Psychology. His work extends on existing understanding of the challenges societies and governments face in adapting to climate change. In so doing, his research examines those barriers that might emerge in response to adaptation, and how these might be best overcome. It therefore challenges some of the implicit assumptions that have dominated the adaptation literature. Through the utilisation of interdisciplinary and collaborative methods his research aims to be theoretically grounded, scientifically robust and policy-relevant.
Darren is also the principal Irish researcher for the Joint Programming Initiative (JPI) Climate project ‘Societal transformation and adaptation necessary to manage dynamics in flood hazard and risk mitigation (TRANS-ADAPT)’, a collaboration between four European countries to jointly examine social transformation with respect to flood risk hazards.
Research Interests
- Climate change vulnerability
- Climate change adaptation
- Transformative change
- Flood risk management mitigation/adaptation
- Place attachment
- Environmental governance
Thesis
Barriers to transformative adaptation: Lessons from the case of flood risk management
Supervisor: Dr. Conor Murphy
Funding
2014-2017 JPI Climate with support of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Title: Societal transformation and adaptation necessary to manage dynamics in flood hazard and risk mitigation (TRANS-ADAPT).
Publications
Peer-reviewed publications
Clarke, D., Murphy, C. and Lorenzoni, I. (2017) Place attachment and transformative change – empirical insights from the context of flood risk management. Journal of Environmental Psychology (Submitted).
Clarke, D., Murphy, C. and Lorenzoni, I. (2016) Barriers to Transformative Adaptation: Responses to Flood Risk in Ireland. Journal of Extreme Events, 3(2), 1650010.
Scientific Reports
Clarke, D. and Murphy, C. (2016): Societal transformation and adaptation necessary to manage dynamics in flood hazard and risk mitigation. Work package 2 deliverable: Ireland Country Report. JPI Climate funding, 1 – 84.
Gatien-Tournat, A., Gralepois, M., Bonnefond, M., Fournier, M., Servain-Courant, S., Clarke, D., Driessen, P., Fuchs, S., Hegger, D., Mees, H., Murphy, C. and Thaler, T. (2015): Societal transformation and adaptation necessary to manage dynamics in flood hazard and risk mitigation. Work package 1 deliverable: Framework for evaluation. JPI Climate funding, 1 – 140.
In Preparation
Murphy, C., Clarke, D., Gatien-Tournat, A., Bonnefond, M., Gralepois, M., Fournier, M., Servain-Courant, S., Driessen, P., Fuchs, S., Thaler, T., Hegger, D., Uittenbroek, C. and Mees, H. (2017) Lessons from transformative approaches to flood risk management in Europe. To be submitted to Journal of Environmental Planning and Management.
Mees, H., Hegger, D., Driessen, P., Uittenbroek, C., Murphy, C., Clarke, D., Gatien-Tournat, A., Bonnefond, M., Gralepois, M., Fournier, M., Servain-Courant, S., Fuchs, S. and Thaler, T. (2017) From citizen participation to government participation? To be submitted to Geoforum.
Conference Presentations (*Invited)
Clarke, D. (2017) 'Barriers to Transformative Adaptation: Responses to Flood Risk in Ireland' [Oral Presentation]. International Conference on Climate Change, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 16 – 17 February.
Thaler, T., Bonnefond, M., Clarke, D., Driessen, P., Hegger, D., Gatien-Tournat, A., Gralepois, M., Mees, H., Murphy, C., Servain-Courant, S. and Fuchs, S. (2016) ‘Multiple strategies in flood mitigation and adaptation – who should pay for whose benefits? Examples from four European countries’ [Poster Presentation – Presented by Thomas Thaler]. FLOODrisk 2016: 3rd European Conference on Flood Risk Management - Innovation, Implementation, Integration, Lyon, France, 18 – 20 October.
Clarke, D. (2016) 'Social barriers to adaptation: learning from the case of flood risk management' [Oral Presentation]. Royal Geographical Society Conference, RGS, London, 30 August – 2 September.
Clarke, D. (2016) ‘The role of modern documentary evidence gathering in climate research and flood analyses’ [Oral Presentation]. Atmospheric Circulation Reconstructions over the Earth (ACRE) Conference, Maynooth University, Maynooth, 20 – 24 June.
*Clarke, D. (2016) ‘Adaptation at a local level – balancing reality with community ideals’ [Oral Presentation]. Mott MacDonald Consultants, Dublin, 23 June.
Fuchs, S., Thaler, T., Bonnefond, M., Clarke, D., Driessen, P., Hegger, D., Gatien-Tournat, A., Gralepois, M., Mees, H., Murphy, C. and Servain-Courant, S. (2016) ‘Societal transformation and adaptation necessary to manage dynamics in flood hazard and risk mitigation (TRANS-ADAPT)’ [Poster Presentation – Presented by Sven Fuchs]. 13th Congress Interpraevent 2016, Lucerne, Switzerland, 30 May – 2 June.
Clarke, D. (2016) ‘Governing adaptation at a local level – balancing reality with community ideals’ [Oral Presentation]. Conference of Irish Geographers, St. Patrick’s College, Dublin, 5 – 7 May.
Clarke, D. (2016) ‘Governing adaptation at a local level – balancing reality with community ideals’ [Oral Presentation]. Climate Dilemmas: Ideals vs Reality Conference, University of East Anglia, Norwich, 6 – 8 April.
*Clarke, D. (2016) ‘Beyond the physical effects – Exploring the social impacts of climate change [Oral Presentation]’. Irish Meteorological Society (Met Éireann), Customs House, Dublin, 1 March.
*Clarke, D. (2015) ‘What’s so hot about climate change?’ [Oral Presentation], ECO-UNESCO, Dublin, 22 October.
Gatien-Tournat, A., Bonnefond, M., Gralepois, M., Fournier, M., Servain-Courant, S., Clarke, D., Driessen, P., Fuchs, S., Thaler, T., Hegger, D., Mees, H. and Murphy, C. (2015) ‘Bottom-up initiatives for flood risk management in Europe: How can we evaluate governance processes and spatial outcomes?’ [Oral Presentation – Presented by Amandine Gatien-Tournat], AESOP Annual Congress, Prague, Czech Republic, 13 – 16 July.
Gatien-Tournat, A., Bonnefond, M., Gralepois, M., Fournier, M., Servain-Courant, S., Clarke, D., Driessen, P., Fuchs, S., Thaler, T., Hegger, D., Mees, H. and Murphy, C. (2015) Bottom-up initiatives for flood risk management in Europe: How can we evaluate governance processes and spatial outcomes?’ [Poster Presentation – Presented by Marie Fournier], Our Common Future Under Climate Change, Paris, France, 7 – 10 July.
Clarke, D. (2015) ‘Community-led approaches to flood risks in Ireland: the role of social justice, social capacity and place attachment in influencing outcomes’ [Oral Presentation]. Conference of Irish Geographers, Queens University, Belfast, 21 – 24 May.
Fuchs, S., Thaler, T., Bonnefond, M., Clarke, D., Driessen, P., Hegger, D., Gatien-Tournat, A., Gralepois, M., Mees, H., Murphy, C. and Servain-Courant, S. (2015) ‘Societal transformation and adaptation necessary to manage dynamics in flood hazard and risk mitigation (TRANS-ADAPT)’ [Poster Presentation – Presented by Sven Fuchs], Österreichischer Klimatag, Vienna, Austria, 28 – 30 April.
Fuchs, S., Thaler, T., Bonnefond, M., Clarke, D., Driessen, P., Hegger, D., Gatien-Tournat, A., Gralepois, M., Mees, H., Murphy, C. and Servain-Courant, S. (2015) ‘Societal transformation and adaptation necessary to manage dynamics in flood hazard and risk mitigation (TRANS-ADAPT)’ [Poster Presentation – Presented by Sven Fuchs], European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, Austria, 12 – 17 April.
Awards
2015: Fully funded to participate in the 2015 University of Birmingham Summer School ‘Sharing Futures: Interdisciplinarity and Intergenerationality in Planning Sustainable Urban Environments’, Birmingham, UK, 24 – 26 August.
2015: Awarded the Professional Certificate in Postgraduate Teaching & Learning from Maynooth University.
2014 – 2017: PhD research funding, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 36 months.
2014: Undergraduate Academic Award (Maynooth University): Professor T. Jones Hughes Prize for best overall performance in Geography third year examinations.
2014: Undergraduate Academic Award (Maynooth University): School of Business Prize for Best Business student in Arts.
2013: Undergraduate Academic Award (Maynooth University): First place, Second Year Arts and Social Sciences.
2013: Undergraduate Academic Award (Maynooth University): Department of Geography Best Overall Performance in second year examinations.
Teaching and professional experience
2016: Convening and leading a workshop entitled: ‘Increasing Public Participation in Flood Defence Planning’, involving various community flood groups, flooded residents, governmental entities and elected representatives.
2016: Convener/Co-convener of sessions W1|SKE-060b ‘Governing Adaptation (1)’ and W2|SKE-060b ‘Governing Adaptation (2)’ at the Royal Geographical Society (RGS-IBG) annual conference in London, UK.
2016: Convener/Co-convener of ‘Governing Disasters’ session at the Conference of Irish Geographers (CIG) annual conference in Dublin, Ireland.
2015 – Present: Responsible for designing, delivering and assessing the final year undergraduate research module: GY310B – Public perceptions of and concerns for climate change.
2015 – Present: Undergraduate demonstrator for final year undergraduate module: GY304 – Geographical Information Systems and Science.
2015: Participation in the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) ‘(Still) Disagreeing About Climate Change: What Way Forward?’ masterclass with Nobel laureate, Professor Mike Hulme, 28 September.
2015: Invited guest lecturer for postgraduate MSc in Climate Change module: GY655 Impacts, Issues and Policy.
2015: Undergraduate tutor for first year module: GY124 - Introduction to Human Geography: People and Places.
Membership
Irish Climate Analysis & Research Units (ICARUS) - Member
European Geosciences Union (EGU) – Member
Royal Geographical Society (RGS) – Member
Contact Details
Room 1.9
Laraghbryan House
North Campus
Maynooth University
Maynooth
Co. Kildare
Phone: +353 1 708 6836
Email: darren.clarke@nuim.ie
Twitter: @darrenclarke123
Martha Coleman
Biography
Martha graduated from Maynooth University with a double honours BA in Geography and History in 2013. Having found an interest in palaeolandscape reconstruction she went on to do a MSc in Dating and Chronology at Queen’s University Belfast. As a PhD student at ICARUS her current research involves ice sheet reconstruction along the central east coast of Ireland using palaeoenvironmental evidence.
Martha is part of ISCORF (Irish Sediment Core Research Facilities). These lab and storage facilities allow sediment core storage, handling and analysis located within ICARUS at Maynooth University. She was involved in the winning Irish bid to hold the 2019 International Quaternary Association (INQUA) congress in Ireland and still plays an active role on the committee. Martha is the Postgraduate Representative for IQUA
Research interests
- Palaeolandscape reconstruction
- Sedimentology
- Dating methods in ice sheet reconstruction
- Palaeoecology
- Climate change
Funding
Self-funded
Conference Presentations/Publications,
- QRA Postgraduate Symposium, 15th September 2016. University of Nottingham, UK‘ Reconstruction of the British‐Irish Ice Sheet over North Mayo’.
- 3 Minute Thesis Competition, December 3rd 2015, Maynooth University‘Reconstruction of the Ancient Ice Sheet over North Mayo’
- IQUA Spring Meeting, 25th April 2015. Maynooth University‘A Reconstruction of North Mayo’s Late Quaternary Glacial Landscape using AMS 14C Dating and Palaeoenvironmental Evidence
- Coleman, M. (2017) Dr Michael Philcox, Irish Geoscience Network, Lifetime Achievement Award. IQUA Newsletter. No. 58 February 2017 pp 9-10
- Coleman, M. (2016) IQUA/QRA Sept 2015 Field Meeting south east Ireland 25-29 September 2015. Quaternary Newsletter. No. 138 February 2016.
- Coleman, M. (20I5) Gateways II. To boldly go where few have gone before. IQUA Newsletter. No. 54 February 2015 pp10-11.
- Coleman, M., (2013) A Reconstruction of North Mayo's Late Quaternary Glacial Landscape Using AMS 14C Dating and Palaeoenvironmental Evidence. MSc Thesis (Unpublished) Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Awards
2013: Undergraduate Award (Maynooth University): Special Price for Contribution to the Geography Department.
Teaching/Employment
2016/2017: Teacher on second year geography undergraduate modules (GY201, GY202)Designed and taught third year undergraduate GY310B module: ‘Sea Level Change’
Tutor to first year undergraduate students (GY151, GY152)
Accompanied lecturers and second year students on Irish field trip module (GY205)
2015/2016: Designed and taught third year undergraduate GY310B module: ‘Sea Level Change’
Demonstrator for second year geography undergraduate students (GY201, GY202)
Tutor to first year undergraduate students (GY114)
Completed Professional Certificate in Teaching and Learning (CTL1)
2014/2015:Demonstrator for second year geography undergraduate students (GY201, GY202)Tutor to first year undergraduate students (GY114, GY124)
Accompanied lecturers and second year students on Irish field trip module (GY205)
Memberships
IQUA (Irish Quaternary Association)
QRA (Quaternary Research Association)
WITS (Women in Technology and Science)
Contact
martha.coleman@nuim.ie
Mladen Cucak
Biography
Mladen has done his Bachelor studies in field of Crop Production/Crop protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and Master Studies:
Biomolecular Techniques and Plant Protection at Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Maribor, Slovenia. After that he spend a year at Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy research - NIBIO, working on forecasting systems for crop pests.
Throughout his career he maintained strong relationship with NGO sector in field of youth non formal education and rural development. He is interested in photography, sports and good food.
Research Interests
- Plant Pathology
- Epidemiology of Plant Diseases
- Agrometeorology
- Decision Support Systems in Agriculture
- Crop Protection
Thesis
Optimization of potato late blight caused by P infestans control in Ireland
Background
Potato late blight caused by the oomycete pathogen P. infestans continues to be the most economically destructive disease of potato crops in Ireland. The development of late blight is highly dependent on favorable weather conditions. Currently control is reliant on fungicides and given the potential yield loss and/or increased costs associated with controlling epidemics if initiated, fungicides are intensively applied prophylactically. As such IPM strategies incorporating decision support systems have been developed throughout Europe, primarily based on prevailing weather conditions as a means of aiding the correct timing of fungicides. Currently Met Éireann, the Irish Meteorological Service issue late blight warning based on ‘Irish Rules’ devised by Bourke (1955). These rules do not take account of the P. infestans population and changes which have taken place, the susceptibility of the potato variety grown or activity of fungicides applied. The aim of this project is to re-evaluate the ‘Irish rules’ incorporating these different aspects of production. To achieve these goals comparisons between warning systems will be undertaken using Irish weather and disease data, and both laboratory and field based studies will be used to determine the interaction between P. infestans genotype, potato susceptibility and fungicide on subsequent late blight development.
Supervisors
Dr. Rowan Fealy (Maynooth University), Dr. Steven Kildea (Teagasc) and Dr. Denis Griffin (Teagasc)
Conference Presentations/Posters
T-E. Skog, M. Cucak, B. Nordskog, H. Eikemo, H. Hole, A. F. Schjøll, J. Netland, N. Trandem, T. Rafoss, R. Meadow. (2015) Oral presentation: VIPS – an Open Source technology platform for prognosis and decision support and its implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. IV International Symposium and XX Scientific Conference of agronomists of Republic of Srpska. Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
T-E. Skog, M. Cucak, B. Nordskog, H. Eikemo, H. Hole, A. F. Schjøll, J. Netland, N. Trandem, T. Rafoss, R. Meadow. (2015) VIPS – an Open Source technology platform for prognosis and decision support. Plant health for sustainable agriculture. Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Awards and Scholarships
2012/2014: Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Master Course.
2014: EEA grant for internship at NIBIO.
2016/2019: Doctoral fellowship at Maynooth University and TEAGASC.
Membership in Professional Associations
European Association for Potato Research
The American Phytopathological Society
Contact details
Room 1.9
Laraghbryan House
North Campus
Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mladen-cucak-b500b626
Tel: +353 (0)892571521
Skype: mladen_cucak
email: Mladen.Cucak@nuim.ie
Padraig Flattery
Biography
Padraig graduated from Maynooth University in 2013 with an International BA in Geography and Economics, where he first became interested in climate change. As part of this degree he spent a year studying at Utrecht University, studying a diverse range of subjects including psychology and medieval Irish literature. He returned to Maynooth University to continue his studies and graduated from the M.Sc. in Climate Change in 2014 receiving the department prize. He is currently working towards a PhD investigating the impacts of climate change and extreme weather on Irish agricultural emissions of soil carbon and nitrogen. This involves the use of statistical computing, R, Python and GIS.
Research interests
- Climate Change
- Soil Carbon
- Extreme Weather
- Weather Volatility
- Environment
- Climate Policy
Thesis
Working Title: Investigating the impacts of climate, climate change and weather volatility on Irish agricultural emissions of soil carbon and nitrogen.
Start Date: 01-12-14 Supervisor: Rowan Fealy Co-Supervisor: Reamonn Fealy
Publications
Flattery, P. (2013) Quantification of the anthropogenic heat flux from non-residential buildings in Dublin city centre. MSc thesis, Maynooth University.
Conference Presentations/Posters
Flattery, P (2017) ‘Soil Carbon and Extreme Weather in Ireland’. Teagasc Walsh Fellow Presentation, Ashtown, Dublin, March 2017.
Flattery, P (2017) ‘Modelling Soil Carbon and Extreme Weather’. International Conference on Climate Change, Colombo, Sri Lanka, February 2017.
Flattery, P (2017) ‘Soil Carbon and Climate Change in Ireland’. Week of International Scientific Young Talents, Palais de la Découverte, Paris, January 2017.
Flattery, P (2016) ‘Modelling Soil Carbon and Extreme Weather’ Conference of Irish Geographers. Dublin, 5th May.
Flattery, P (2015) ‘What’s so hot about climate change?’ [Oral Presentation], ECO-UNESCO, Dublin, 22 October.
Flattery, P (2015) ‘Estimating Soil Carbon in Ireland: Exploring Methodologies’. Wageningen Soil Conference 2015, Wageningen, Netherlands.
Flattery, P. (2015) ‘Estimating Soil Carbon: Exploring Methodologies’. Conference of Irish Geographers Annual Meeting, Belfast, Ireland.
Flattery, P. (2015) ‘Impacts of climate change and extreme weather on Irish agricultural emissions of soil carbon’. Maynooth University Department Presentation
Awards
Selected to represent Ireland with two other scientists at the ‘Week of International Scientific Young Talents’ in Paris, January 2017.
Awarded ‘Session’s Best Presentation’ at the International Conference on Climate Change, Sri Lanka, February 2017.
Department prize for highest results in the Climate Change M.Sc.
Teaching
2016 & 2017: Designed and taught GY310B module: ‘Soil and Climate’.
2015-2017: Demonstrator to second year geography undergraduates (GY202, GY201)
2015: Tutor to first year geography undergraduates (GY124, GY114)
2014/15: Completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning
2014/15: Academic tutor to individual M.Sc students
Memberships
Irish Meteorological Society (IMS)
Geographical Society of Ireland (GSI)
Contact
https://www.linkedin.com/in/padraigflattery
Email: padraig.flattery@nuim.ie
Twitter: @padraigflattery
Ian Gillespie
Biography
Ian has over 30 year’s experience working as a Technical Director/Project Manager and Senior Consultant in the Irish Oil sector, the Food industry and the Chemical sector. He also spent a number of years working on hazardous waste recycling and pollution control in the UK. Ian has worked significantly on effluent and air emission projects and has developed Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) reduction techniques using Oxidation Technology. He was a founder Director of BioGreen Ireland Ltd, Ireland’s only commercial Bio Diesel Plant and as a Senior Consultant with RE-AN International Technology Services where he supported blue chip companies in Ireland and further afield. Ian’s work included the development of innovative renewable energy products suitable for Irish climatic conditions. He also developed fuel products using Enzyme Technology to reduce Carbon Emissions. During this work he developed a deep interest in climate change and its potential impacts. He is a strong believer in continuous professional development. While working full time, he completed his Undergraduate and Post Graduate studies in Environmental Science by distance learning through the Open University and Trinity College Dublin. His dissertation for his Master of Environmental Science degree was on the combustion of waste paper in a fluidised bed application as a method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Research Interest
- 20th Century Reanalyse
- Climate
- Temperature
- Data Trends
- Reanalysis
- Land Surface Temperature
- Computer Modelling
- Statistical Analysis
Thesis
"The investigation of the utility of 20th Century reanalyses products to identify and adjust for data artefacts to create a new and methodologically distinct analysis of land surface air temperatures since at least 1900 and possibly earlier with the view to provide input to next generation 20th Century reanalysis projects".
Supervisor:- Professor Peter Thorne
Start Date: 01-10-2015 Supervisor: - Professor Peter Thorne, Co-Supervisor:- Professor Leopold Heimberger of the University of Vienna
Education & Professional Development
2013:-Dublin institute of Technology, Aungier ST, Dublin – Master of Business Administration (MBA)-Part-time study
2008:-Open University, Milton Keynes, UK - Master of Environmental Sciences
2006:-Open University, Milton Keynes, UK - PGD in Environmental Decision-Making
2002:-Open University, Milton Keynes, UK - Honours Degree in Environmental Science
1998:-Open University, Milton Keynes, UK - Diploma in Pollution Control
1996:-Trinity College, Dublin - Post Graduate Diploma in Project Management
1994:-Trinity College, Dublin - Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Engineering
1982;-National Council for Education Awards, Carlow Institute of Technology- Diploma in Applied Biology
1981:-City & Guilds, London Institute - Certificate in Quality Control
Affiliations
Institute of Engineers of Ireland (IEI)
Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (ISOH)
The Association of MBA’S of Ireland
Publications
Master Thesis of Business Administration. (MBA) (2013) “Alternative Strategy in a Dualistic Market-“
(2011-2012) Feasibility Study of Proposed Laois Sustainable Living Training Centre:- 2011
Processed Fuel Oil and Steam Boilers
Master Thesis (2008) “The Electrical Power Generation derived from the Combustion of Waste Paper to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Fluidized Beds”
Contact
ian.gillespie.2016@mumail.ie
Irene Morris-Cadogan
Biography
Irene began her undergraduate degree in Maynooth in 2007 and moved from a general arts degree to specialise in Single Honours Geography in her second year. In 2008 she completed a SPUR summer research internship within the Geography Department at NUIM focused on the development of a new First Year Physical Geography Tutorial Programme. During her undergrad she was also class representative for geography, a member of the staff/student liaison and feedback committees and a member of the Geography Society (2010) and editor of the annual Geography department Journal Milieu (2010).
She received a first class honour for her undergraduate thesis titled "Ireland in Transition: a profile of the Irish Transition Movement", which in examined the geographical distribution of Transition Towns throughout Ireland.
In September 2010 she graduated top of her class with a first class honour and commenced her PhD in the department in October 2010 having received a John and Pat Hume Scholarship.
Research interests
Geographies of energy, Sustainable consumption, climate change adaptation, governance of energy, GIS.
Thesis Title
'Old Home, Cold Home?’ Building Energy Ratings and their application in the Regulation of Environmental Sustainability.
Description of Project
Climate change mitigation, rising fuel prices, increasing levels of fuel poverty and concerns over future fuel security have highlighted the importance of energy efficiency as a key component of sustainable energy policy. The residential energy sector has been identified as having a large capacity for increases in energy efficiency. This has been operationalised in Ireland through the introduction of a number of grant based retrofit programs over the past decade which yielded a result of approximate 14% of the national stock receiving some form of efficiency upgrade.
A large portion of the two million strong housing stock still require attention in order to meet energy efficiency targets and see an overall reduction in energy consumption within the sector. Area based targeting of this type of policy measure has proven to improve outcomes and increase cost effectiveness for participants and government. However Ireland lacks a sufficient evidence base on which to develop this type of policy approach.
Significant stakeholder engagement with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland has provided a unique catalogue of 330,000 records of energy performance certificates rich with information on key building characteristics on which to develop a geographically focused dataset of a large sample of the national housing stock. For the first time the development of household energy profiles that can be plotted at low geographical scales is possible. Using innovative spatial statistical methods such as geographically weighted regression (GWR) the research will facilitate a new and deeper understanding of the potential explanatory factors for spatial variations in policy outcomes and the energy efficiency of the building envelope across the state.
Framed by the current debates surrounding the appropriate forms of energy governance and the equitable implementation of sustainable environmental policies, the research will provide key insights into the impacts of both regulation and voluntary governance approaches and the unequal distributions of policy outcomes in order to inform the national and international policy community.
Supervisors
Prof. Mark Boyle, Dr. Ronan Foley
Scholarship
John and Pat Hume Scholarship (2010)
Awards
Prof T Jones Hughes Prize (2010)
Publications
Flooding and Flood Management in Glasgow Milieu, (2009) 32nd ed, 89-98
After Peat: A New approach to the discipline of Geography Milieu, (2010) 33rd ed, 45-46
Contact Details
Room: 1.9
Laraghbryan House,
North Campus, NUI Maynooth,
Kildare
+353 1 708 6836
irene.morris@nuim.ie
Simon Noone
Biography
Prior to 2008 Simon was a managing director/self employed business person running several different companies for over 18 years. He began his undergraduate studies in Geography and Spanish as a mature student in the National University of Ireland, Maynooth in September 2008. He received an honours degree in Geography in 2011. Continuing his studies, he undertook a Master of Science degree in climate change and graduated with first class honours in 2012. He is currently pursuing his PhD at ICARUS.
His interests are climate change, recovery of historical precipitation records, data homogenisation, historical hydrological modelling, reconstructing river flow records, long term trends, past hydrological extremes and regime shifts in Irish river flow.
Current Research
PhD Title- Recovery and homogenisation of archived precipitation data (1850-2012) and the reconstruction of river flows for detecting and attributing climate change signals.
Future projections of climate change coupled with recent hydrological volatility and associated economic and societal impacts have focused attention on the need to better understand variability and change in hydro-climatic variables. Long records of observations are critical for this task. In Ireland widespread monitoring of river flows only commenced in the 1970s and many longer records have been impacted by human activities such as arterial drainage making the differentiation of anthropogenic climate change signals from natural variability difficult. Additionally, projections of future changes are highly uncertain making tracking emerging signals from long series of observations an important management tool in adapting to changing risk. In addressing these challenges a rich data source exists in the form of archived precipitation data collected since the initiation of formal monitoring networks in Ireland from the 1850s. This research aims to produce high quality, long-term datasets through the rescue and recovery of this data and the reconstruction of river flow series for individual catchments.
Archived paper records of precipitation will be transcribed, digitised and homogenised for key catchments, with full use made of associated metadata, available international gridded databases and objective weather classification schemes in verifying the quality of recovered data. Precipitation, dating to the 1850s will be used to run hydrological models to produce ensemble reconstructions that quantify uncertainty in hydrological modelling. Flow data will be statistically analysed for evidence of change using state-of-the-art methods and visualisation tools. The relationship between detected changes and atmospheric circulation will be examined and dominant weather types associated with flood and drought-rich periods identified.
Supervisor- Dr. Conor Murphy
Memberships and Affiliations
Irish Meteorological Society
Geographic Society of Ireland
Funding
2014-2016: Irish Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship.
2012-2014: John and Pat Hume PhD scholarship.
Awards
2011/12: First class honours MSc. in Climate Change.
2011/12: Geography Department best performance for highest grade in MSc. climate change course 2011/12.
2010: Summer Programme of Undergraduate Research internship (SPUR).
Presentation Contributions
May/2013: Presented at the Conference of Irish Geographers, Galway.
April/2013: Presented at the NUIM Geography department research seminar
December/2012: Harrigan, S., Murphy, C., Noone, S., Wilby, R. & Hall, J. (2012) ‘Climate or land-use change? Complexities in the attribution of trends in river flow records’ American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting, San Francisco (USA),.
Teaching experience
2011-date: First year undergraduate tutor in the NUIM Geography Department.
2011-date: Second year undergraduate demonstrator in the NUIM Geography Department
2014: Third year undergraduate tutor in the NUIM Geography Department,
Professional experience
2010-date: Employed by the National Institute of Regional and Spatial Analysis and National Centre for Geo-computation, NUIM as a research assistant. Producing mapping modules, geo-coding, network analysis projects and processing data that has been uploaded to (www.airo.ie) & (www.chg.ie ).
2013/14: Completed Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, NUIM.
2013/14: Postgraduate representative in the Geography Department, NUIM.
2012/13 Completed course in Statistical analysis using R with the Mathematics and Statistics Department, NUIM.
Contact Details
Room 1.9
Laraghbryan House
North Campus
NUI Maynooth
Tel: 01-7086392
Email: SIMON.J.NOONE@nuim.ie
Twitter: @simon_noone
Ciara Ryan
Biography
Ciara graduated from Maynooth University in 2015 with a BA in Geography and Mathematics. Throughout the course of her undergraduate degree she chose modules that would allow her to develop the skills and knowledge required to progress within the field of climate research. On completion of the undergraduate degree she was awarded a Maynooth University Masters Scholarship to pursue an MSc in Climate Change. She graduated in 2016 receiving the department prize and a John and Pat Hume Doctoral Scholarship. She is currently working towards a PhD at the Irish Climate Analysis and Research Units. Her research is being carried out in collaboration with Met Éireann under the Irish Research Council Employment Based Scheme.
Research Interests
- Climate Change
- Historical Records
- Data Rescue
- Extremes
Thesis
Working title: Development and analysis of long-term, quality assured daily precipitation and
temperature networks for the Island of Ireland.
Supervisor(s): Dr Conor Murphy, ICARUS, Maynooth University
Mary Curley, Met Éireann
Funding
2016 - 2017: John and Pat Hume Doctoral Scholarship, 48 months
2017 – 2020: Irish Research Council Employment Based Scheme, 36 months
Awards
2017: Irish Research Council Employment Based Scheme
2016: John and Pat Hume Doctoral Scholarship
2016: Department of Geography Award for Best Performance in the MSc in Climate Change.
2015: Department of Geography Award for the Best Physical Geographer in Final Year Examinations.
2015: Maynooth University Masters Scholarship.
2014: Summer Programme for Undergraduate Researchers (SPUR).
Professional Experience
2016/17: Research Assistant working on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded project: Irish Climate Futures: Data and Tools for Decision Making.
2015/16: First year undergraduate tutor, Department of Geography, Maynooth University.
2014: Internship working with Dr Ro Charlton (Department of Geography, Maynooth University) to develop a database for Irish rivers to characterise geomorphological attributes and controls.
Conference Presentations (*Invited)
Ryan, C., Murphy, C., Duffy, C., Broderick, C., Thorne, T, Curley, M., Walsh, S., Treanor, M., and Daly, C. (2017) Integrating data rescue into the classroom [Poster presentation – Presented by Ciara Ryan]. European Geoscience Union (EGU) General Assembly 2017, Vienna, Austria, 23 – 28 April 2017.
Murphy, C., Burt, T.P., Broderick, C., Duffy, C., Macdonald, N., Matthews, T., McCarthy, M.P., Mullan, D., Noone, S., Ryan, C., Thorne, P., Walsh, S. and Wilby, R. (1711) A 305 year monthly rainfall series for the Island of Ireland (1711 - 2016). [Oral presentation – Presented by Conor Murphy]. European Geoscience Union (EGU) General Assembly 2017, Vienna, Austria, 23 – 28 April 2017.
*Ryan, C., Murphy, C., Duffy, C., Broderick, C., Thorne, T, Curley, M., Walsh, S., Treanor, M., and Daly, C. (2017) Integrating data rescue into the classroom [Oral presentation – Presented by Ciara Ryan]. Met Éireann, 65/67 Glasnevin Hill Dublin 9, D09 Y921, Ireland, 15th March 2017.
*Ryan, C., Murphy, C., Duffy, C., Broderick, C., Thorne, T, Curley, M., Walsh, S., Treanor, M., and Daly, C. (2017) Integrating data rescue into the classroom [Oral presentation – Presented by Ciara Ryan]. Maynooth University, Co. Kildare, Ireland. 17th November 2016.
Memberships and Affiliations
European Geosciences Union (EGU)
Geographical Society of Ireland (GSI)
Irish Meteorological Society
Contact Details
Room 1.9
Laraghbryan House
North Campus
Maynooth University
Ph: 01 7086392
Email: ciara.ryan@nuim.ie
Twitter: @CiaraPRyan