Dr Martin Hurst
- Senior Lecturer in Landscape Dynamics (School of Geographical & Earth Sciences)
telephone:
0141 330 2326
email:
Martin.Hurst@glasgow.ac.uk
Room 404, East Quadrangle, School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ
Research interests
I am a geomorphologist itrying to understand the evolution of the Earth surface, with particular focus on tectonically active landscapes and eroding coastlines. I am motivated by the problem that eroding landscapes (both terrestrial and coastal) leave behind scant evidence of their previous form. I try to understand by which processes, and how fast such landscapes have evolved. To do this I gather quantitative information about landscape form from topographic data and field observations, apply numerical models that can predict landscape form under different forcing conditions such as climatic shifts or tectonic processes, and measure past rates of landscape change using geochronometry (in particular cosmogenic radionuclides). The Earth surface is a principle human resource and thus I am interested in making predictions about landscape change at human-relevant timescales (from individual storm events to decadal/planning timescales), particularly associated with anticipated future environmental forcing.
Publications
Selected publications
Hurst, M. D. , Mudd, S. M., Walcott, R., Attal, M. and Yoo, K. (2012) Using hilltop curvature to derive the spatial distribution of erosion rates. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 117(F2), F02017. (doi: 10.1029/2011JF002057)
Hurst, M. D. , Barkwith, A., Ellis, M. A., Thomas, C. W. and Murray, A. B. (2015) Exploring the sensitivities of crenulate bay shorelines to wave climates using a new vector-based one-line model. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 120(12), pp. 2586-2608. (doi: 10.1002/2015JF003704)
Hurst, M.D. , Mudd, S.M., Attal, M. and Hilley, G. (2013) Hillslopes record the growth and decay of landscapes. Science, 341(6148), pp. 868-871. (doi: 10.1126/science.1241791) (PMID:23970695)
All publications
Grants
CREW (Co-I): £214k National Coastal Change Assessment 2: Enhancing the evidence base and our ability to adapt
ANSTO Facilities Grant (Co-I): £20k Using cosmogenic radionuclides to improve quantification and prediction of coastal erosion in a warming world
ANSTO Facilities Grant (PI): £10k Timing and rates of shore platform formation in Australia constrained by cosmogenic isotopes
Natural Environment Research Council Urgency Grant (PI): £65k Dating coseismic marine terrace formation during the Kaikoura 2016
MASTS Early Career Researcher Exchange (PI): £5660 Coupling exploratory modelling of cosmogenic radionuclide production and sea-cliff erosion
Natural Environment Research Council Highlight Topic: £560k (WP component). BLUE-Coast - Physical and biological dynamic coastal processes and their role in coastal recovery. Co-I on work package with the British Geological Survey.
Natural Environment Research Council Innovation Project: £128k. Software for quantifying shallow landslide hazards to transportation infrastructure under changing climate and forest management. Co-I with University of Edinburgh.
Supervision
Daniel Peifer Bezerra, PhD Candidate (passed 2018), University of Glasgow: Lanscape evolution of the interior of continents in intraplate settings.
Danielle Buchanan, MSc (Res) (passed 2019), University of Glasgow: The morphodynamics of a rock coast system: multi-decadal to seasonal scale change on the Glamorgan Coast, UK
- Danielle is now working as a Junior Coastal Investigator with the Coastal Marine Applied Research team at University of Plymouth
- She will commence PhD study at Cardiff University in October 2019
Eilidh Stott, MSc (Res) (submitted 2018), University of Glasgow: Rainfall-to-reach, a framework for modelling braided river morphodynamics
Ben Phillips, PhD Candidate (commenced 2016), University of Liverpool: Future vulnerability of evolving gravel barrier coastlines – the impacts for flood risk management.
Jennifer Shadrick, PhD Candidate (commenced October 2017), Imperial College London: Will climate change make coastal erosion rates faster?: Comparing historic and Holocene cliff retreat rates using cosmogenic isotopes with numerical models.
Katherine Groves, PhD Candidate (commenced October 2017), Landscape response to tectonic forcing across the continental collision zones of Eurasia
- Dickinson, Heloisa
Understanding and modelling the potential impacts of alternate land-use practices: CO2 sequestration and pollutant immobilisation in derelict and contaminated land sites - Masafu, Christopher Kusimba
A novel approach for flood hazard mapping - Muir, Freya
Real-time monitoring and forecasting of coastal erosion - Suprayogi, Andri
Temporal monitoring and modeling of tropical flood dynamics using SAR and deep learning - Tolentino, Pamela Louise
Influence of catchment characteristics on hydrologic regimes
Teaching
GEOG2001: Geography Level 2: Global geomorphology, landscape evolution, hillslope forms, processes and hazards, analysis of sediments, statistics and GIS.
GEOG2015: Geography Level 2 Field Class (course organiser): Six day residential field class to south Wales introducing students to fieldwork and field skills through short projects in physical geography
GEOG4013: Geographic Thought: History and philosophy of Physical Geography
GEOG4015: Geographical Techniques (course organiser) advanced statistical and spatial analysis of large datasets.
GEOG4025: Research Skills: Mallorca field class, digital terrain analysis
GEOG4052: Dissertations in Geography: Supervision has included topics such as rock fall processes, river flooding, coastal erosion, tsunami hazards, public perception of climate change risks, and glacial geomorphology.
GEOG4108: Hillslope Geomorphology (course organiser): Option course exploring in detail the processes that shape hillslopes, which make up the majority of our landscapes
GEOG5117: Modelling Water Systems (course organiser)