Graduate School

Earth and Environmental Sciences research overview

The School of Earth and Environmental Sciences (SEES) is committed to active and developing research programmes in a wide range of subjects within the earth and environmental fields.

Our researchers' work is innovative and highly relevant to the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) Units of Assessment 20/21.

We have very active and internationally recognised research groups in Crustal Evolution, Environmental Modelling and Monitoring, Geohazard Assesment, Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystems and Palaeontology and Sedimentology.

For more information about how to apply please contact the Faculty of Science using the Contact us page.

If you have any questions about studying for a research degree at the University of Portsmouth, please complete our enquiry form.

Key Facts

RAE Rating: In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), our submission to the Earth Systems and Environmental Science category comprised ten researchers in SEES and four researchers from the School of Biological Sciences.

We are proud that 90% of our research in this category was deemed to be of 'international standard', with evidence of 'world-leading research' in both areas. Our overall quality profile was: 4*- 5%,  3* - 40%,  2*-  45% and 1-10%.

Academic staff: 25, please see link to staff list webpage.

Postgraduate research students: 18

External links: Our researchers collaborate in joint research projects with many institutions within the UK, Europe, and further afield. Funding agencies include the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture (CEFAS), the Natural Environment Research Council, NATO, the Leverhulme Trust, and the UK Environment Agency.

Resources

The School's laboratories are equipped with modern facilities such as Scanning Electron Microscope, XRF, XRD, gamma spectrometry, crystal growth, low temperature physics, geochemistry, palaeontology, soil mechanics, rock mechanics and rock preparation laboratories.

Our comprehensive networked IT facilities are available to all academic staff, undergraduate and postgraduate research students in the building.

Research Areas

Crustal Dynamics

Our researchers are working and supervising on the follwowing main research themes: Nature of orogenic processes within the middle to lower continental crust; Basalt and granite petrogenesis in different structural settings; Application of geochronological techniques to date deformational and metomorphic events during orogeny;  Syn- to post-orogenic erosional history of mountain belts.

Environmental Modelling and Monitoring

Our researchers are working and supervising postgraduate research students in projects such as : Environmental impacts of ionising radiation; Modelling nutrient transport in rivers and their catchments; Elemental and isotopic fingerprinting methods of dust source attribution.

Geohazard Assessment

Our researchers undertake research and supervision on fields such as: Lava flows behaviour and hazards; Structural constraints on eruptive behaviour of volcanoes; Prevention and mitigation of volcanic risk; Emergency planning.

Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystems

If your interests lie in this area, our researchers can offer high quality supervision in fields such as : Sediment and water column trace metal and nutrient biogoechemistry; Benthic-Pelagic biogeochemical coupling; Iron cycling and speciation in High Nitrate Low Chlorophyll (HNLC) regions; Submarine diagenesis of tephra; Development of in situ passive samplers for water column and sediments; Copper toxicity and speciation in estuaries and harbours.

Palaeontology and Sedimentology

Our researchers are working and offer excellent supervision on themes such as : Carbonate microfabric, diagenesis and reservoir quality; Microbial processes and products during sediment lithification; Palaeoenvironmental geochemistry; Sandstone diagenesis and reservoir hetergeneity ;Reconstructing fluid flow in sedimentary basins; Applied low-temperature stable isotope geochemistry; Importance of graptolites in Lower Palaeozoic stratigraphy; Palaeobiology of the pterosauria.

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