Dr Glenn Guneyli-Havelock

Contact

Glenn Guneyli-Havelock
About
Teaching and learning
Research

About

I am an earth scientist and enthusiastic educator with research interests in palaeoclimate reconstruction and coastal-estuarine geomorphology.

I have a BSc in Geology (University of Derby), an MSc in Environmental Sedimentology and Geomorphology (University of Reading) and a PhD in Quaternary Environmental Change (University of Exeter, 2009). My PhD thesis was concerned with sea level and climate change during the mid-late Holocene.

I joined Kingston University in 2021 as a temporary Lecturer in Earth Science. I gained a permanent position in 2022 as a Lecturer in Climate Change, with module leadership on "Rivers Oceans and Atmosphere" and "The Challenge of Climate Change" (on BSc and MSc programmes), and became Course Leader for Undergraduate Environmental Science courses in January 2024.

Prior to Kingston University, I was a Lecturer in Physical Geography and a Research Associate in Salt-marsh Carbon Studies  (https://www.c-side.org/) at the University of York, teaching a range of physical geography and environmental science modules. 

Between 2009 and 2016, I was based in the USA, initially as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Maryland (2009-2012), followed by teaching positions at several institutions on the east-coast. I was a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at The George Washington University (Geological Sciences) and Temple University (Dept of Earth & Environmental Sciences) from 2012 to 2016, teaching a range of earth science modules, with additional part-time teaching as an Adjunct Professor of Geology at the University of Baltimore and the University of Delaware. I maintain a connection with Temple University by teaching occasional online modules in Geology as a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor).

I have also held positions as a Geotechnical Engineer, Research Associate in Geoarchaeology (University of Newcastle), and Scientific Officer (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology).

Academic responsibilities

Lecturer in Climate Change and Course Leader in Environmental Science courses

Qualifications

  • 2003-2009 PhD Quaternary climate change and coastal-fluvial geomorphology, University of Exeter
  • 2000-2001 MSc (with Distinction) Environmental Sedimentology and Geomorphology Research, University of Reading
  • 1996-1999 BSc (Hons) Geology, University of Derby

Teaching and learning

I currently teach the following modules at Kingston University:

  • Rivers, Oceans and the Atmosphere (Module Leader)
  • The Challenge of Climate Change (Module Leader)
  • The Challenge of Climate Change – MSc (Module Leader)
  • Introduction to Physical Geography and Environmental Hazards (former Module Leader)
  • Geomorphology and Geophysical Hazards (former Module Leader)
  • Disasters, Society and Culture
  • Understanding the Environment
  • Research and Fieldwork Methods
  • Research Project (Dissertation)

I have a comprehensive background in teaching earth and environmental science. Prior to Kingston University, I was a Lecturer in Physical Geography at the University of York, teaching on the the following modules:

  • Dynamic Earth (Module Leader)
  • Coastal Environments (Module Leader)
  • Earth Processes and Landforms
  • Environmental Geography Research
  • Current Research in Environmental Geography (MSc)

I was a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at The George Washington University (Geological Sciences) and Temple University (Dept of Earth & Environmental Sciences) in the USA from 2012 to 2016, with additional part-time teaching as an Adjunct Professor of Geology at the University of Baltimore and the University of Delaware. I maintain a connection with Temple University by teaching occasional online modules in Geology as a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor). Classes taught in the USA included:

  • Historical Geology* (GWU)
  • Environmental Geology* (GWU)
  • Quaternary Environmental Change* (GWU)
  • Earth in Focus* (UB)
  • Disasters: Geology vs Hollywood* (Geologic Hazards) (TU)
  • Evolution and Extinctions* (Historical Geology) (TU)
  • General Geology (Physical Geology) (UD)
  • Geology of the National Parks (TU)

(* = module leader)

Undergraduate courses taught

Postgraduate courses taught

Research

I am an earth scientist with research interests in palaeoclimate reconstruction and coastal-estuarine geomorphology.

My research focuses on:

  • The reconstruction of climate and environmental change during the Holocene (last 10,000 years).
  • Coastal-estuarine geomorphology.
  • The carbon cycle and the controls on organic carbon accumulation in coastal wetlands.
  • Coastal vulnerability and resilience. The risks and hazards associated with current and future climate change, and on proposed mitigation and adaptation strategies.

To achieve my research aims I use various sedimentary, palaeoecological, and biogeochemical proxy records of environmental change, supplemented by investigations of the geomorphological record. To explore changes in Holocene palaeoecology (habitat, water chemistry, and vegetation change) I use microfossils, especially diatoms, but also foraminifera, ostracoda and pollen. The study of the contemporary environment plays an important part of this research, acting as a modern analogue for the analysis of the Holocene record. The geochemistry of Holocene deposits plays an important part of my research, and I have used elemental, mineralogical, stable isotope (e.g. δ13C) and geomagnetic evidence to investigate environmental change.

To access the Holocene record, I make extensive use of sediment cores. In the estuarine/coastal zone, these may be taken from coastal wetlands. In the fluvial zone, the coring of floodplain palaeochannel deposits in the lower-middle reaches of rivers has proven particularly useful, in addition to the geomorphological record (e.g. river terraces). To provide a geochronological framework, I have used radiocarbon, 210Pb and OSL dating methods.

Current research activities include:

  • Carbon storage in intertidal environments (C-SIDE) (with University of York, University of St Andrews, University of Leeds, Bangor University, Center for Ecology and Hydrology)
  • SedaDNA, diatoms and palaeoclimate reconstruction in arctic Norway (with Tromsø University)

Research projects starting 2023:

  • Holocene climate change reconstructions in Chesapeake Bay, USA (with James Madison University and Tromsø University)