International Women's Day - Spotlight on Dr. Helen Shaw - Mud and microscopes.

It is International Women’s Day, time to celebrate our achievements and consider the past and the future. A lot has changed since I was at school, careers advice was very divided into male and female roles. Science was not always encouraged for women. I learned science later in life. 

I always had an interest in plants, but it was only when I started an Open University degree, after several years of work in museums and arts, that I realised my fascination for science and how nature works. My Open University experience shifted my focus from arts to science. This fascination developed in a second degree in Biology at Southampton University. After time working in science administration for international science programmes, I undertook a PhD studying palaeoecology in the stunning environment of Glen Affric in Highland Scotland where ancient pine woods still survive and thrive in part of the Glen. This is where I started to specialise in my research area. My interests spanned geology, environment and ecology, so it was a natural progression to focus on palaeoecology.

Palaeoecology is the study of ecology through time. Most of the time use pollen from peat accumulations or lake sediments to infer what vegetation was there in the past. We can take cores from peat bogs, and ponds and all sorts of muddy little basins and look to see what pollen grains are in each layer. Because the layers of sediment or peat in a basin are laid down through time, each layer down core is a little older than the layer above. We can ‘see’ environmental change through time by examining the types of pollen trapped in samples from a sequence of depths in the peat core. 

I have spent many happy hours in muddy hollows collecting data on plant presence and peat cores for analysis. And many more contented hours staring down a microscope and counting the pollen grains that I find in each sample. It is a painstaking task, but very rewarding. Pollen grains come in all sorts of shapes from teddy bears ears (pine) to golf balls (grass), with some that have surface structures that look like giraffe skin (ash), and some that look like brains (elm): each is a new discovery. Counting the pollen is like a forensic investigation of the past, each new grain a new clue to the presence of a long-forgotten plant. 

My work helped to discover that some places in Glen Affric, where we thought there were lost and degenerating pinewoods, these were actually a more recent expansion; and I was able to provide evidence that the pine woods had much more diversity, with pine sharing space with other broadleaved tree species. 

The work in Glen Affric was highly applied to ideas of rewilding and reforestation. These are two other topics that really fascinate me. Ecological restoration is essential in a world where so much change has been wrought by humans, but we need to make space for restoration and rewilding to be dynamic. Ecology is always in a state of change and ecological balance might be a bit of an illusion. 

As a palaeoecologist I can provide evidence about past change over thousands of years in the life of a forest, and therefore I can help us to understand our ecological options for the future. We can also look at more recent change, to see how, for example, agriculture has changed ecology—we know surprisingly little about ecological change over the last few hundred years. I have investigated ecological change in cultural upland landscapes as well as woodlands. To do this work it is important to cross disciplines into agricultural history, and mapping, and archaeology… this just makes the subject even more fascinating!

Currently I am reexploring some of my old Glen Affric samples to investigate the other microscopic remains such as fungal spores found in the samples—spores from fungi that live on animal dung can help us infer past grazing for example. I am also working on some histories of vegetation change in the Irish midlands. These studies have involved the help of some wonderful students in the MU SPUR scheme. After years of perseverance in my subject area, a range of new conservation objectives, including the newly adopted EU Nature Restoration Law and EU Forest Strategy and guidelines for conservation of Old Growth Forest have led to an exciting new collaborative project which I am just about to start with several colleagues. Ancient Woodland Ireland, funded by Department for Agriculture Forestry and the Marine and National Parks and Wildlife Service, will map fragments of ancient woodland across the island of Ireland and will use palaeoecology alongside the mapping to explore the history of the most important woodland fragments in more detail. I am excited to be back in the woods doing palaeoecology!

Of course, supporting the learning of others is also an important part of my job. I love sharing my subject area through teaching. I am a great proponent of the joy of fieldwork, and of practical learning. The outdoors is a great learning environment and I hope to take students to the woods and involve them in the ancient woodlands work in future years. As a female geographer there are sometimes additional challenges to fieldwork, but getting muddy in a peat bog, or examining plants in a pasture, are some of life’s joys, and nothing should put us off! 

This year's IWD highlights the “crucial role of inclusion in achieving gender equality. It calls for action to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and create environments where all women are valued and respected”. Reflecting on my experiences as a woman in STEM, what would I tell my younger self? Don’t underestimate yourself, be determined, continue to support others and enjoy the wonderful friendships created by common interests. We should also be brave, call out poor behaviour. And what would I tell a few colleagues I have met along the way--don’t underestimate us, and don’t sideline us into the work that you do not want to do! Many women advocate that we must learn to say “No”, but in doing so we must recognise that someone else will get that work and it might well be another woman, or other undervalued person. I hope we can strive better for a fair, kind and collaborative academia full of fascinating research, great students, and opportunity for all who want it.

 

International Women’s Day 2024 – Spotlight on the research scientists in the ICARUS team

 

In the last 12 months the ICARUS has been going from strength to strength from a female perspective and International Women’s day is an ideal time for a spotlight on some of the research scientists in the team.

 

Marine Biology

Dr. Kirsty Morris – Post-doctoral Researcher, Marine Biology

As a child I always had a love for marine animals and ecology and longed to be a marine biologist. With the support of my family to work for what I wanted I began my formal marine education at Aberdeen University, where I completed my under graduate degree in Marine Biology. During this time I dipped into the world of deep sea biology with my final year project, which investigated bioluminescence within an Eddie in the deep Atlantic, this work along with that of others lead to my first named author publication in 2008 (Hedger et al, 2008). Following on from this I spent a year at Glasgow University completing my MRes in Marine and Freshwater Biology and Environmental Ecology. During this I completed two research projects one on the evolution of colour and pattern in tropical fish and a second on the impact of reef walkers on fish behaviour in Sharm el Sheik which involved 3 months field work and multiple hours of snorkelling. I completed my formal education with a PhD at the University of Southampton- working on deep sea coral distribution and genetics and resulting in multiple publications. Following from this I spent 4 years working as a postdoctoral researcher at the National Oceanographic Centre in Southampton, working on image analysis techniques for the deep sea resulting in multiple publications. I left this position in 2016 following the birth of my first daughter Ava to care for her full time. My second daughter Lily was born in 2019. 

In January 2024 I began working within the ICARUS Oceans Group in the Geography department Maynooth University. My first science role in almost 8 years!! I am working on a project investigating the impacts of climate change on shellfish growth in Irish waters using data supplied by the Marine Institute.  To be able to get back into the field of marine biology for which I have always been passionate after such a long time is hugely exciting. This is a part time position, which allows me to continue caring for my two daughters, working during school hours and caring for the girls after school. This is of great importance to me.

The project is in the early days, with my current work focussing on data validation. It is hoped in the near future I will begin to investigate if there are any relationships between shellfish shell and tissue growth with physical variables such as temperature, Ph and salinity. I will also be investigating if any relationships that are uncovered hold true across a range of culture types including natural bed and rope grown mussels. It is also hoped there will be the opportunity to investigate these relationships with oyster data at a later date.

 

International women’s day is all about shining light on women and their achievements. My two greatest achievements are my daughters. Another achievement is gaining a PhD in a field for which I have always held love. My biggest achievement in 2024 is to be able to combine these loves successfully. This is something I hope is possible to continue in the future. Happy International Women’s day 2024!!

References

Heger, A., Ieno, E.N., King, N.J., Morris, K.J., Bagley, P.M. Priede, IG. (2008) Deep sea pelagic bioluminescence over the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Deep sea research II: tropical studies in Oceanography.

 

 

 

Air-Sea interaction 

Dr. Samantha  Hallam – Post-doctoral Researcher, ICARUS oceanography

 

Since February 2021, I have been a post-doctoral researcher in the ICARUS team at Maynooth University working on the EU funded ROADMAP project investigating the impact of ocean circulation variability (western boundary currents and AMOC) on atmospheric and climate dynamics in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. It has been a fantastic experience working in the ICARUS oceanography team. Opportunities have included undertaking research at sea along Goban Spur and the Rockall Trough, together with presenting my research in Chicago, Japan and New Orleans which has led to further collaborations.

At the end of March I will be taking up a new role as senior post-doctoral researcher in the ICARUS team, where I will be Co-PI on the TOPIM (Tropical cyclone ocean-coupled potential intensity model) project, rolling out a new tropical cyclone potential intensity model for the Caribbean Small island developing states, a very exciting opportunity. 

Here is the link to my publications https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/faculty-social-sciences/our-people/samantha-hallam#Publications

 

 

Climate Change 

Shirley Howe, PhD Researcher and Assistant Lecturer

 

Climate change drivers are rooted in culture and potential climate futures are dependent on human behaviour. For these reasons, my research focus is the interlinkedness of physical processes and human systems. My PhD research examines the influence of socio-ecological dynamics, culture, identities and place in shaping constructions of climate change, resilience, vulnerability and adaptive capacity. This research, for which I was awarded the Eda Segarra Medal of Excellence in 2019, is funded by the Irish Research Council and the Environmental Protection Agency. It offers a longitudinal analysis of societal perspectives and experiences of climate change on Inishbofin Island, County Galway, Ireland through periods of ethnographic residency. On an existing imprint of marginalisation manifested through insidious population decline, Ireland’s island populations face into higher climate change risk compared to the mainland. Simultaneously, their primary livelihoods—fishing, farming and tourism—are weather dependent. This study analyses the characteristics of islands, natureculture, the weather world including experience of extreme events, historical and contemporary identity making, and colonial and postcolonial governance in Inishbofin to further understandings of climate change response. By thus extending insight into the meaning of climate change and how this meaning forms, it contains implications for strategic and transformative climate action across scales. I am currently preparing to submit my PhD thesis and lecturing with the Geography Department. Additionally, I am passionate about science communication, outreach and public engagement, and with colleagues in ICARUS and the Geography Department including Michelle and Samantha, produce and present an interactive educational experience entitled ‘The Circus of Climate Horrors’ at events in Ireland and the UK.

 

Repairing the sea wall, Inishbofin south shore, 17 December 2020 

Storm Franklin, 20 February 2022.

 

 

From "the Earth's surface" to the "Earth from space"

Sandra Cristina Deodoro, PhD Researcher

I would like to start by saying I am fascinated by Geography and maps! 

 

My research interests mainly focus on Earth Observation satellites applied to environmental monitoring, namely soil and water. I am also interested in topics related to geology and (fluvial)geomorphology and environmental education.

  

My (formal)Geography journey commenced at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (Brazil), where I completed a B.Sc. in Geography and Postgraduate Diplomas in Water Resources Management and Geoprocessing (GIS). After that, I undertook a M.Sc. in Environmental Systems Analysis and Modelling at the same university. In my master´s dissertation, I explored spectral reflectance data from an optical-based remote sensor (Sentinel 2) for soil particle size analysis and employed Discriminant Analysis as a statistical method to classify soil texture patterns in a meandering stretch of the Uruguay River located between the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil). Currently, I am collaborating on the project Geomorphodynamics of Chapecó River Basin’s Landscape (Santa Catarina State) carried out by researchers from the Federal University of Chapecó and Italian researchers from Roma Tre University and Padova University.

In 2021, I commenced my journey at Maynooth University by pursuing a PhD in Geography. In my research, I am delving more into Earth Observation satellites by assessing the use of microwave-based remote sensors (C-band SAR Sentinel 1) to estimate topsoil particle-size fractions and predict soil texture, with application to Ireland. Thus, moving from tropical-sub-tropical climate soils to temperate-climate soils. I am also testing a radar polarimetry-based technique to retrieve soil information under vegetated soil conditions, which is a common characteristic in Ireland. The method employed is also relevant to locations where optical remotely sensed data is limited and/or where vegetation cover is present throughout the year (Deodoro et al., 2023; 2024). The primary goal of my PhD thesis is to provide a methodological framework to inform the design of in situ soil surveys as well as to provide a means to estimate soil properties over large spatial areas to generate new data products for use in hydrological, land surface, climate, and other model-based approaches that currently employ coarse global scale soil texture products.

 

Outside of research, I enjoy exploring nature, playing with my four-legged friends, and of course, drinking coffee! 

Earth´s surface signatures from EO satellites (Sentinel 1 and 2). Microwave remote sensing signatures of soil, vegetation, and urban area (Sentinel 1; plot on left); spectral signatures of different types of soil and vegetation from Sentinel 2 (plot on right). Figures: Deodoro et al.(2024).

 

 

References

 

Deodoro, S.C., Moral, R. de A.; Fealy, R.; McCarthy, T., & Fealy, R. (2024). Using the surface scattering mechanism from dual-pol SAR data to estimate topsoil particle-size fractions. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 128, e10374, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2024.103742

 

Deodoro, S.C., Moral, R. de A.; Fealy, R.; McCarthy, T., & Fealy, R. (2023). An assessment of Sentinel 1 SAR, geophysical and topographical covariates for estimating topsoil particle size fractions. European Journal of Soil Science, 74(5), e13414, DOI: 10.1111/ejss.13414, https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.13414

 

Bertolini, W. Z., Deodoro, S. C., Zambot, N. (2023). Morphometric analysis of Chapecó river basin: Searching for vestigial trace of neotectonic on a basaltic landscape at southern Brazil. Journal of South American Earth Sciences, 124, e104271, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsames.2023.104271

 

Historical instrumental series to assess climate change

Dr Carla Mateus, Assistant Professor

 

In May 2023, I joined the ICARUS and the Geography Department at Maynooth University as an Assistant Professor (https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/faculty-social-sciences/our-people/carla-mateus#Biography). My research interests mainly focus on climate science, namely historical climatology, assessment of past extreme weather events and environmental history. I am also interested in climate action, climate adaptation, climate mitigation, environment and sustainability research topics. Historical long-term meteorological observations are crucial to analyse extreme events and trends and to examine modern climate warming within a historical context (e.g. Mateus and Potito, 2022). 

 

I am passionate about teaching, outreach, public engagement and science communication. I have experience developing outreach programmes in climate and geography for primary and transition year students. Additionally, I enjoy communicating my research to the public.

 

From 2021 to 2023, I worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Met Éireann – the Irish Meteorological Service – on the project ‘Climate maps and data to support building design standards in Ireland’.

 

In 2021, I obtained my PhD in Geography at the University of Galway after successfully defending the thesis ‘Development of long-term daily maximum and minimum air temperature series and assessment of past extreme air temperature events in Ireland’. 

 

I carried out placements as a Technician at the Portuguese Environment Agency and as a Meteorological Observer at the Geophysical Institute of the University of Coimbra in Portugal.

 

I completed a Bachelor’s in Geography with a pre-specialisation in Physical Geography in 2012 and a Master’s in Physical Geography, Environment and Spatial Planning in 2014 at the University of Coimbra in Portugal. In 2014, I completed an Erasmus Placement at the University of Galway and fell in love with Ireland. Therefore, I decided to move to Ireland to conduct my PhD research and to advance my professional career.

 

For the list of my publications, see: 

https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/faculty-social-sciences/our-people/carla-mateus#Publications

 

References:

Mateus, C. and Potito, A., 2022. Long-term trends in daily extreme air temperature indices in Ireland from 1885 to 2018. Weather and Climate Extremes, 36, p.100464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wace.2022.100464

 

 

Predicting waves: Where science meets nature

by Ashly Kalayil Uthaman, PhD Researcher

 

 

                                                           

Ever wondered what drives the waves break against our shores? Or how we      can predict their behavior not just for tomorrow, but for years? DeWaPIC – Decadal Wave prediction of Irish Coast uncover the secrets of ocean waves around Ireland and explore how numerical models to can be used to predict waves.

Ocean waves are not only mesmerizing to watch; they also play a crucial role in shaping our coastlines and influencing marine ecosystems. From providing habitats for countless species to driving coastal erosion and creating surf breaks, waves are dynamic forces of nature.

Predicting ocean waves comes with its challenges. Uncertainties abound, from the complex interactions between atmospheric and oceanic processes to the inherent limitations of numerical models.

Waves formed by wind travel long distances before reaching the coastline. Upon reaching shallower waters, they interact with the seafloor, causing the stored energy to be released through breaking waves in the surf zone. Different models rely on varying assumptions. In this study, numerical models such as WAM and SWAN are used to simulate waves from deep to shallow waters. These wave models are driven by atmospheric conditions obtained from climate models. This provides insight into how changes in wind patterns due to climate change may affect wave characteristics such as height, period, and direction. Such information is essential for coastal planning and marine resource management.

 

 

 

 

North Atlantic decadal predictability

Catherine O’Beirne, PhD Researcher

 

After completing a B.A. in Environmental Science at Trinity College Dublin in 2016 and an M.Sc. in Climate Change at Maynooth University in 2018. I am 4^th year PhD candidate at Maynooth University and have submitted my thesis. The area of focus is on understanding Atlantic variability and its connection to the Irish shelf advancing knowledge of Irish sea-level change in an Atlantic context; development of predictive capacity on decadal timescales for the North Atlantic; and how these predictions can be applied for stakeholder needs. 

I am currently in the process of finalising a paper based on the prediction skill around the western coast of Ireland. To write two further papers based on the improvement of skill and how to tailor predictions for the fishery industry. Having the ability to predict changes in the future stock will support adaptation and fish stock management. In decadal climate prediction, initialized predictions have demonstrated improved prediction skill for the North Atlantic. The different stages of fish development are dependent on oceanic variables like temperature and variability and investigating decadal prediction skill for those variables will allow me to make statements on potential changes in fish stock.