Contact
Teaching Summary
I convene and lecture on the following School of Geography modules:
- Global Climate Change (GEOL3002)
- Global Climate Change: Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation (GEOL4005)
- Global Climate Change: The Scientific Basis (GEOL4006)
- Environmental Modelling (GEOG3028)
I lecture on the following School of Geography modules as part of the module teaching team:
- Earth and Environmental Dynamics (GEOL1002)
- Environmental Change (GEOL2001)
Research Summary
My main interests are in understanding the impacts of climate change on natural and human systems, and bridging the boundary between physical science and impact and policy-related areas.
Much of my current research investigates the potential impact of climate change on global- and catchment-scale hydrology and water resources. I am interested in understanding how average conditions and extremes (floods and droughts) might be affected by climate change. I apply a variety of climate and hydrological numerical models to achieve this. I also have strong interests in modeling the relationship between climate and human health; specifically, on the association between extreme temperature events (heat waves and cold snaps) and temperature-related mortality.
An emerging theme of my climate change impacts research is the investigation of the possible benefits of climate change mitigation policy. This typically involves comparing numerical simulations of climate change impacts under 'no policy' scenarios with various 'mitigation' scenarios where global greenhouse gas emissions are reduced via climate change mitigation policy.
A key element throughout all my research is exploring the inherent uncertainties in climate change impact projections, due to, for instance, uncertainties associated with the current state of science on climate modelling, hydrological modelling, and health modelling. I am interested in exploring novel ways to both consider and present these uncertainties for application in policy- and decision-making processes.
Selected Publications
SMITH MW, WILLIS T, MROZ E, JAMES WHM, KLAAR MJ, GOSLING SN and THOMAS CJ, 2024. Future malaria environmental suitability in Africa is sensitive to hydrology Science. 384, 697–703 LIU J, LI D, CHEN H, WANG H, WADA Y, KUMMU M, GOSLING SN, YANG H, POKHREL Y and CIAIS P, 2024. Timing the first emergence and disappearance of global water scarcity: Nature Communications Nature Communications. 15(1), 7129 PORKKA M, VIRKKI V, WANG-ERLANDSSON L, GERTEN D, GLEESON T, MOHAN C, FETZER I, JARAMILLO F, STAAL A, TE WIERIK S, TOBIAN A, VAN DER ENT R, DÖLL P, FLÖRKE M, GOSLING SN, HANASAKI N, SATOH Y, MÜLLER SCHMIED H, WANDERS N, FAMIGLIETTI JS, ROCKSTRÖM J and KUMMU M, 2024. Notable shifts beyond pre-industrial streamflow and soil moisture conditions transgress the planetary boundary for freshwater change: Nature Water Nature Water.
Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society, FRMetS
Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, FRGS
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, FHEA