Dr Carlos Loureiro

Lecturer in Physical Geography

Biological and Environmental Sciences Cottrell Building Office 3V1A

Dr Carlos Loureiro

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About me

About me

I am a coastal geomorphologist working in the impacts of extreme storm events, sea level rise and mesoscale coastal evolution. I have worked in Portugal, South Africa, UK and Ireland on a variety of research projects that normally include many hours on a beach and at sea collecting morphological, sedimentary, geophysical and hydrodynamic data that is used to understand process-response relationships in coastal and nearshore systems.

Posts:

  • since 2019 Lecturer in Physical Geography, University of Stirling
  • since 2014 Honorary Research Fellow, University of KwaZulu-Natal
  • 2016 - 2019 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow, Ulster University and UKZN
  • 2013 - 2016 FCT Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Algarve, Ulster University and UKZN
  • 2008 - 2012 PhD Student, University of Algarve & Ulster University
  • 2004 - 2008 Research Assistant, University of Algarve

Qualifications:

  • 2019 PgCert Higher Education Practice, Ulster University
  • 2012 PhD Marine and Earth Sciences, University of Algarve in collaboration with Ulster University (Geomorphology and morphodynamics of embayed beaches in contrasting environments)
  • 2007 PgDip Coastal and Marine Studies, University of Algarve
  • 2003 BSc in Physical Geography, University of Coimbra

Divisional / Faculty Contribution

Committee Member
BES Research Committee

Director
BES Director of Postgraduate Research

Panel member
BES PhD Annual Progress Review Panel


Examining

External Examiner
External examiner in Physical Geography for NUI Galway


Other Academic Activities

Honorary Research Fellow
University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Member
Steering Committee of the MASTS Marine Climate Forum

Member
UKCP18 Development and Knowledge Sharing Network


Professional Career

Guest Editor
Geo-Marine Letters | Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science | Geomorphology


Professional membership

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy


Research (3)

My research investigates a variety of aspects of coastal and marine environments, at scales that range from individual storm events to decadal and centennial coastal evolution under changing sea levels, exploring many different approaches and tools, ranging from detailed field experiments to underwater and satellite remote sensing, as well as numerical modelling and spatial analysis.

The specific topics of research that I'm currently working on are:

  • beach and nearshore morphodynamics (with a focus on geologically controlled settings)
  • impacts of extreme coastal storms (tropical and extratropical storms, erosion and overwash dynamics )
  • exploratory modelling of coastal dynamics (hydrodynamics and morphological evolution)
  • wave climate and storminess (based on observations and global reanalysis)

RESEARCH PROJECTS

  • NEARControl – Nearshore Geological Control on Coastal Morphodynamics (EU H2020, UlsterU, www.nearcontrol.eu)
  • Extreme storm impacts in the northeastern Atlantic (CCG, UlsterU)
  • Beach nourishment and coastal processes in Southern Coastal Mine-Namibia mega-nourishment (UKZN-NAMDEB MoU)
  • Shoreline change and coastal hazards in large-scale embayments (SAIAB-CGS MoU)

PHD STUDENTS

Nicola Horsburgh (2021 - present). Future proofing Scotland’s remote coastal areas: evaluation of the potential for nature-based coastal adaptation. Supervisor with Larissa Naylor (UoG), Alistair Rennie (Scottish Government/NatureScot) and Andrew Tyler (UoS). Funding: UKRI/NERC IAPETUS2 Doctoral Training Partnership.

Vincent Kümmerer (2020 - present). Storm processes and impacts in geologically controlled barrier islands. University of Algarve. Supervisor with Oscar Ferreira (UAlg). Funding: FCT Doctoral Studentship.

Valeria Fanti (2020 - present). Global assessment of coastal storm hazards on coastal barriers in a changing climate using process-based indicators. University of Algarve. Co-supervisor with Oscar Ferreira (UAlg). Funding: FCT Doctoral Studentship.

Freya Muir (2020 - present). Real time monitoring and forecasting of coastal erosion. University of Glasgow. Co-supervisor with Martin Hurst and Larissa Naylor (UoG), Doug Pender (JBA Consulting) and Alistair Rennie (Scottish Government/NatureScot). Funding: UKRI/NERC IAPETUS2 Doctoral Training Partnership.

Projects

Changing Coasts, Connecting Communities with their Heritage
PI: Dr Clare Wilson
Funded by: Arts and Humanities Research Council

Virtual Inventory Toolbox for Catchment Management
PI: Dr David Oliver
Funded by: Science & Technology Facilities Council

Southern Coastal Mine: Shoreline and Storm Erosion Modelling Review
PI: Dr Carlos Loureiro
Funded by: De Beers Group

Outputs (28)

Outputs

Book Chapter

Loureiro C & Ferreira Ó (2020) Mechanisms and timescales of beach rotation. In: Short AD & Jackson DWT (eds.) Sandy Beach Morphodynamics: Form and Process. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier, pp. 593-614. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102927-5.00024-2

Conference Proceeding

Matias A, Carrasco A, Loureiro C, Andriolo U, Masselink G, Guerreiro M, Pacheco A, McCall R, Ferreira Ó & Plomaritis T (2017) Measuring and modelling overwash hydrodynamics on a barrier island. In: Proceedings of Coastal Dynamics 2017. Coastal Dynamics 2017, Helsingør, Denmark, 12.06.2017-16.06.2017. Helsingør, Denmark: University of Copenhagen, pp. 1616-1627. http://coastaldynamics2017.dk

Conference Proceeding

Matias A, Carrasco AR, Loureiro C, Almeida S & Ferreira O (2014) Prediction of overwash in alongshore variable barrier islands. In: volume 101. Comunicações Geológicas. Congresso nacional de Geologia 2014, Porto, 18.07.2014-24.07.2014. Lisbon, pp. 621-624. http://www.lneg.pt/download/9620/6_1787_ART_CG14_ESPECIAL_II.pdf

Conference Proceeding

Loureiro C, Ferreira Ó & Cooper A (2011) Morphologic change and morphodynamics at high-energy embayed beaches in Southwestern Portugal. In: Proceedings of Coastal Sediments 2011, volume 2. Proceedings of Coastal Sediments. Coastal Sediments 2011, Miami, Florida, USA, 02.05.2011-06.05.2011. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Company, pp. 1375-1389. https://doi.org/10.1142/9789814355537_0104

Conference Proceeding

Oliveira A, Fortunato AB, Guerreiro M, Bertin X, Bruneau N, Rodrigues M, Taborda R, Andrade C, Silva AM, Antunes C, Freire P, Pedro LS, Dodet G, Loureiro C & Mendes A (2010) Effect of Inlet Morphology and Wave Action on Pollutant Pathways and Sediment Dynamics in a Coastal Stream. In: Estuarine and Coastal Modeling: Proceedings of the Eleventh International Conference. 11th International Conference on Estuarine and Coastal Modeling, Seattle, Washington, USA, 04.11.2009-06.11.2009. Reston, VA, USA: American Society of Civil Engineers, pp. 601-620. https://doi.org/10.1061/41121%28388%2936

Teaching

Teaching

I currently teach on the following modules at Stirling:

GEOU4ER - Environmental Resilience (module coordinator)

GEOU9IC - Scotland Field Course (module coordinator)

GEOU9EH - Environmental Hazards

ENVU2LE - Landscape Evolution

I also contribute to the Spain (ENVU6SP) field course and supervise students in the BSc in Environmental Geography (GEOU9PR) and MSc in Environmental Management (ENMPG18).

As Honorary Research Fellow at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, I also co-supervise postgraduate students in Marine Geosciences and regularly contribute to SEAmester - South Africa's Floating University postgraduate training on board of the SA Agulhas 2.