Dr Tom Lawrence

My research interests focus on fluvial, estuarine and coastal systems and their response to changing conditions influenced by pollution, contamination or climate-driven factors. I use a combination of field- and lab-based analysis tools, combined with large imaging datasets, pairing 'wet' geography with digital geography. I have developed approaches to observe, quantify and analyse 3D pore spaces in muddy sediments, informing a deeper understanding of cohesive sediment behaviour. This research allows us to better predict responses of estuarine and coastal systems to a changing climate, with temperature, pH, salinity and freshwater input regimes all acting as important factors in pore structure, and consequently sediment movement behaviour.

My teaching covers a variety of disciplines across undergraduate and postgraduate programs, primarily focusing on geospatial science & statistics. This enables me to engage with all cohort levels across the department and to support a wide variety of UG and PG dissertation topics.

I am also programme director for the PGES degree pathways (BSc Geography, BSc Environmental Science, BSc Environmental Science with Business Management, MSc Water and Environmental Management, MSc Natural Capital and Sustainability).

Modules that I currently contribute to:

GEG4011 Introduction to Research Methods (Lecturer)

GEG4014 Critical Geography: Environment and Society (Lecturer)

GEG4015 Sustainable Transitions (Lecturer and Tutor)

GEG5223 Geospatial Science (Lecturer)

GEG7316 Environmental Data Acquisition and Analysis (Organiser and Lecturer)

Research findings have been disseminated in journals such as Water Research, MethodsX, Frontiers in Earth Science and Journal of Soils and Sediments.

More information on publications can be found here.