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Research group

Environmental Change and Sustainability

Forest hillside with logging

We carry out geospatial analysis and experimentation to understand environmental change and its impact on climate around the world. Our work has socio-economic impact and informs environmental policy and decision making.

About

We focus on the sustainable use of natural resources from coastal zones and island states to drylands and deltas. The tools we use include satellite remote sensing, novel sensors and modelling for environmental monitoring and prediction.

Our research priorities focus on:

  • the role of human-environment interactions within social-ecological systems
  • the implications of environmental change and management for development

We use whole systems approaches to understand sustainable futures and trade-offs, and potential transitions and tipping points.

Our expertise includes:

  • environmental modelling and assessment
  • geographical information systems (GIS)
  • climate change impact assessment, adaptation and risk mitigation
  • monitoring, assessment and management of aquatic environmental systems
  • modelling, analysis and prediction of hazards
  • satellite remote sensing of land resources, agriculture and ecosystems
  • reconstructing past environmental change from sediments
  • environmental impact assessment, conservation and management

Research highlights

Expanding the use of satellite data to provide real-world benefits

The University is leading research into remote sensing to improve food security, population mapping and disaster response.

Putting children at the heart of climate policy

The University of Southampton has led research into the first comprehensive worldwide analysis of climate risk to children.

People, projects and publications

People

Dr Rebecca Collins

Lecturer in Environmental Science

Research interests

  • The effect of nature on health and wellbeing 
  • Access to greenspaces and other green infrastructure
  • Sustainable urban planning/development

Accepting applications from PhD students

Email: r.collins@soton.ac.uk

Address: B44, West Highfield Campus, University Road, SO17 1BJ

Dr Rhorom Priyatikanto

Senior GIS Application Developer

Research interests

  • Machine learning for classification and regression tasks
  • Domain adaptation and transfer learning

Dr Robert Holland

Lecturer in Natural Sciences

Accepting applications from PhD students

Email: r.a.holland@soton.ac.uk

Address: B44, West Highfield Campus, University Road, SO17 1BJ

Dr Sien Van Der Plank PhD

Senior Research Fellow

Research interests

  • Multi-scale analysis using mixed methods of coastal flood risk management across policy domains, organisational stakeholders and households.
  • Risk attitudes and behaviours to the natural environment in relation to perceived, expected and experienced social and physical changes.
  • Mixed methods analysis of the form and evolution of stakeholder perceptions toward mining, expected impacts of mining, and experiences of consultation process.

Accepting applications from PhD students

Email: sien.vanderplank@soton.ac.uk

Address: B44, West Highfield Campus, University Road, SO17 1BJ

Professor Simon Kemp

Professorial Fellow-Education

Research interests

  • Education for Sustainable Development
  • Waste Management
  • Carbon Footprinting

Email: s.kemp@soton.ac.uk

Address: B44, West Highfield Campus, University Road, SO17 1BJ

Dr Vicky Dominguez Almela

Teaching Fellow in Ecology

Research interests

  • Her work has included the use of individual-based models (IBMs), geographical information systems (GIS) and stable isotopes to increase understandings of invasion patterns and processes and evaluate invasive species eradication programmes.
  • Postgrad Rep and Social Media Lead of the British Ecological Society Invasion Science Group.

Accepting applications from PhD students

Sustainability is a great deal more than just a changing climate, we need to consider the broader socio-environment and how that intersects with equity, social justice, poverty and a sustainable future.
Director Sustainability&Resilience Inst.
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