Overview

Christopher began studying at the University of Exeter in 2012 and graduated with a First Class BSc Geography (Hons) degree in 2015. He was also awarded the William Ravenhill Prize for the Best Academic Performance within Geography, and the Jonathan Rantage Prize for the Best Dissertation within Geography.

During his undergraduate studies, Christopher developed an interest in the ways in which numerical computer models can be used to improve our understanding of the development and evolution of rivers and floodplains. To that end, his undergraduate dissertation employed field observations, caesium-137 analysis of floodplain cores, and two-dimensional numerical modelling using Delft3D, to investigate the temporal and spatial inundation and sedimentation dynamics of the River Otter’s floodplain at Budleigh Salterton in East Devon. For the first time, this research highlighted the profound impact of large artificial embankments on controlling the dispersion of sediment-laden floodwater across the floodplain.

Afterwards, Christopher remained in Exeter to undertake a Master of Science by Research in Geography degree on a part-time basis, under the supervision of Professor Andrew Nicholas and Professor Rolf Aalto. This research employed the two-dimensional numerical model, Delft3D, to simulate the temporal and spatial inundation and sedimentation dynamics of the Sacramento River’s floodplain at Llano Seco in California, United States of America. He was particularly interested in whether the spatial patterns of sedimentation on this topographically heterogeneous floodplain, typified by scroll bars and diverse vegetation, conform to the exponential decay law of sediment deposition on floodplains.

Whilst conducting research for his Masters degree, Christopher worked as an Assistant Flood and Coastal Risk Officer for Devon County Council's Flood and Coastal Risk Management Team where he critically reviewed the surface water management plans for major planning applications and provided technical advice to the eleven Planning Authorities across the county.

Christopher is currently a PhD Researcher in the Department of Geography, funded by the NERC GW4+ Doctoral Training Partnership. His research is focused on improving the representation of vegetation effects in hydromorphodynamic numerical models of long-term river and floodplain evolution and assessing the importance of vegetation on controlling the morphology of the world’s largest rivers.

Research group links

• Cryosphere, Coastal and River Dynamics

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Research

Research interests

Numerical modelling; Drainage basin hydrology; Fluvial geomorphology; Climate and land use change.

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Teaching

Christopher has worked as a Postgraduate Teaching Assistant to help deliver the following undergraduate BSc Geography modules:

• GEO1315 - Research Methods for Geographers (Dr. Jonathan Cinnamon);
• GEO2231 - Landscape Dynamics (Prof. Andrew Nicholas);​
• GEO2307C - Physical Geography Fieldtrip (California) (Prof. Rolf Aalto, Dr. Tim Hill, Dr. Matteo Vacchi, Dr. Rob Schindler, Dr. Kees Jan van Groenigen, Dr. Jean-Francois Mercure, and Dr. Ute Schuster);
• GEO2321 - Introduction to Remote Sensing (Dr. Steven Palmer and Dr. Anne Le Brocq);
• GEO3223 - Landscape Systems Management (Prof. Rolf Aalto);
• GEO3236 - Land-Atmosphere Interactions (Dr. Tim Hill).

Grand Challenges Week: June 2017 to June 2019

Christopher has worked as a Postgraduate Facilitator on the interdisciplinary Grand Challenges programme, in the Climate Change group: Solving the climate change problem: mitigation, adaption or geo-engineering?

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