Environment Research Groups

Coastal and Marine Research Group
 
 

Environment Research Staff

Professor Mike Phillips
Professor Allan Williams
Chris House
Dr Rhian Jenkins
Mike Cullis
Beverley Holland
Judith Oakley
Beth Williams
 
 

Environment Research Students

Omar Ali O Alharbi
Andrew Morgan
David Smith
Tony Thomas
Asma Zwawe
 
 

Environment Research Projects

LCRI Marine Energy Task Group
Offshore Renewable Energy Impact Network (OREIN)
Beach Replenishment Issues, Malta
River Princess, Goa
Coastal Landscape Evolution
Automated Sensing Technologies for Coastal Monitoring (ASTEC)
 
 
Professor Mike Phillips PDF Print E-mail

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Biography

Professor Mike Phillips has a BSc in Civil Engineering, an MSc in Environmental Conservation Management and a PhD in Coastal Geomorphology; while professionally he is a member of the Institution of Environmental Sciences and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS). He is vice-chairman of the RGS's Coastal and Marine Working Group and has organised Group sessions at the Annual International Conference. He is Head of the School of Built and Natural Environment and has Faculty responsibilities as a Research Facilitator.

Professor Phillips is a Member of Climate Change Working Group: Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands: a GEF funded collaboration among IOC; ICOO; UNEP GPAPME; NOAA; DFO, Canada; Portuguese Committee for IOC; SPAGC; IOCARIBE; PEMSEA; NEPAD/COSMAR; EPOMEX; SEMARNAT; CCA; UNDP/UNEP/WB-GEF/IWLEARN (http://www.globaloceans.org/content/working-group-climate-oceans-and-security). He has brought climate change threats to coastal tourism onto the Global Forum agenda and in May 2010 organised a session on this topic for UN Ambassadors, Key Decision-Makers, etc., at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. Session contributors included experts from all over the world, who highlighted issues of concern in all continents. A book co-authored with Dr Andrew Jones and including specialist contributions entitled ‘Disappearing destinations: future challenges for coastal tourism', was published early in 2011 and explores these issues more fully. Professor Phillips is also a member of the Severn Estuary Climate Change Research Advisory Group for future management in response to climate change and sea-level rise. As an invited speaker, he has given presentations, amongst others, on Beach erosion (WAG, Crickhowell House), Renewable energy on the coast (Green Party Annual Conference) and Marine aggregate dredging and stakeholder conflict at the NMM - RGS Coastal and Marine Conference: People and the sea.

Professor Phillips has published more than 80 research papers and has made presentations and chaired sessions at major international conferences, including International Coastal Symposia, RGS, Medcoast, Littoral and the Coastal Zone Canada. He regularly peer reviews research articles for many journals and has reviewed projects on behalf of the EU, GEF, US National Science Foundation and EPSRC. He has been an invited speaker at many national and international universities including: the Azores, British Columbia, Cadiz, Cardiff, Dundee, Florence, King Abdulaziz (Jeddah), Piaget (Cape Verde) and West Fjords (Iceland). Professor Phillips's further wider contribution includes the following:

His expertise has resulted in research grants and consultancies, including being appointed by the Maltese Ministry for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications to assess beach replenishment issues. Recent projects include Offshore Renewable Energy Impact Network (OREIN) and a Low Carbon Research Institute Marine Energy Task Group (LCRI METG) assessing environmental impacts of marine renewable energy options on the natural and anthropogenic coastal environments. The Automated Sensing Technologies for Coastal Monitoring (ASTEC) project led by the School of Applied Computing was a collaboration with industry to develop a sensor network to assess submarine sediment movement in line with his ‘depth of closure' research. This project was a finalist for the 2010 Engineer Technology and Innovation Awards, which took place at The Royal Society (see project research pages for further details on these projects). In addition to his university research students, he receives requests to supervise students from overseas universities. Furthermore, he has often been an invited member of expert panels and has successfully supervised and examined PhD students.

Research Interests

Major research interests include shoreline morphological responses to climate change and sea level rise, public perception, stakeholder engagement, scenic evaluation and consequences of persistent marine debris. Early research assessed processes and strategies for management of the Penarth coast (evaluation and management of morphological change in response to natural forcing agents and anthropogenic pressures, including the Cardiff Bay Barrage). Extensive knowledge has been developed of shoreline change in response to physical processes and the wider implications of climate impacts, including NAO influences. Currently laser scanning is being used to assess short and long term shoreline trends. Predicting change in response to various risk based scenarios has subsequently underpinned human community and policy work. This is evidenced by his international engagement and research funding generated from various sources, while published work includes book chapters, international refereed journal and conference papers. These have considered coastal science and management in response to physical processes and anthropogenic use and activities, some resulting from his international collaborations.
Professor Phillips's other research collaborations have included an EU Socrates Coastal Zone Intensive Programme (COZIP) with Akdeniz University, Turkey, Southampton Solent University, University College Cork, University of Malta and University of Madrid and a British Council Treaty of Windsor project with the New University of Lisbon. He is researching Gower beach erosion, in the lee of off-shore marine aggregate dredging, a major public and political concern on the South Wales coast. Discussions on this research, which was partly funded by the Gower Society, are on-going with the Welsh Assembly Government, the Crown Estate and BMAPA. Much of his work is of public interest, evidenced over the last ten years by many popular press articles.
Selected Publications (since 2000)

BOOKS AND CHAPTERS IN BOOKS:

  • Jones, A.L. and Phillips, M.R. (eds) (2011). Disappearing destinations: climate change and future challenges for coastal tourism. CABI, Wallingford, Oxford. 296pp.

  • Phillips, M.R. (2009) Beach consequences of an industrial heritage. In: Williams, A.T. and Micallef, A. Beach Management: Principles and Practice. Earthscan, Case Study 12: 353-362.

  • Jones, A. L. and Phillips, M.R. (2008). Tourism development in the coastal zone: managing natural and cultural change. In: Krishnamurthy, R. R., Glavovic, B. C., Kanne, A., Green, D. R., Ramanathan, A. L., Han, Z., Tinti, S., and Agardy, T. Integrated Coastal Zone Management - Current Global Scenario. RPS Publishing, Singapore. 375-389.

  • Williams, A. T., Phillips, M.R. and Banfield, K. (2008). Coastal Erosion Management, Swansea Bay, Wales, UK: the Application of Function Analysis and Strategic Environmental Assessment. In: Krishnamurthy, R. R., Glavovic, B. C., Kanne, A., Green, D. R., Ramanathan, A. L., Han, Z., Tinti, S., and Agardy, T. Integrated Coastal Zone Management - Current Global Scenario. RPS Publishing, Singapore. 305-325.

  • Williams, A.T. and Phillips, M.R. (2000). Gravel beach swash zone dynamics. In: Rodriguez, G.R., Brebbia C.A., & Pérez-Martell, E. (eds). Environmental Coastal Regions III. WIT Press, Southampton. 65-75.

REFEREED JOURNAL PAPERS

  • Calado, H., Bentz, J., Ng, K., Zivian, A., Schaefer, N., Pringle, C., Johnson, D. and Phillips, M.R. (2011). NGO involvement in marine spatial planning: a way forward? Marine Policy. In press.

  • Thomas, T., Phillips, M.R., Williams, A.T. and Jenkins, R.E. (2011). Medium timescale beach rotation; gale climate and offshore island influences. Geomorphology. In press.

  • House, C. and Phillips, M.R. (2011). Integrating science and education into coastal policy: a Mediterranean and Black Sea case study. Marine Policy. In press.

  • Phillips, M.R., Rosser, G., Jenkins, R.E. and Cullis, M.J. (2011). Beach management strategies: a comparative stakeholder assessment, Gower, South Wales, UK. Journal of Coastal Research. SI 64: 1396-1400.

  • Williams, A.T., Duck, R.W. and Phillips, M.R. (2011). Coastal dune vulnerability among selected Scottish systems. Journal of Coastal Research, SI 64: 1263-1267.

  • House, C., Williams, J.L., Cullis, M.J. and Phillips, M.R. (2011). Coastal sustainability: a comparative socio-economic lifestyle assessment, South Wales, UK. Journal of Coastal Research, SI 64: 1233-1237.

  • Thomas, T., Phillips, M.R. and Williams, A.T. (2011). Sheltering effects of an offshore Island: short-term morphological response of a macro-tidal beach. Journal of Coastal Research, SI 64: 1204-1208.

  • Thomas, T., Phillips, M.R., Williams, A.T. and Jenkins, R.E. (2011). Medium time-scale behaviour of adjacent embayed beaches: influence of low energy external forcing. Applied Geography, Vol 32: 265-280.

  • Thomas, T., Phillips, M.R., Williams, A.T. and Jenkins, R.E. (2011). Short-term beach rotation, wave climate and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Progress in Physical Geography, Vol 35(3) 333-352.

  • Thomas, T., Phillips, M.R., Williams, A.T. and Jenkins, R.E. (2011). A multi-century record of linked nearshore and coastal change. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, Vol 36: 995-1006.

  • Calado, H.M., Borges, P., Phillips, M.R., Ng, K. and Alves, F. (2011) The Azores Archipelago, Portugal: Improved Understanding of Small Island Coastal Hazards and Mitigation Measures. Natural Hazards, Vol 58: 427-444.

  • Phillips, M.R. and Crisp, S. (2010). Sea level trends and NAO influences: the Bristol Channel/Severn Estuary. Global and Planetary Change, Vol 73(3-4): 211 - 218.

  • Thomas, T., Phillips, M.R. and Williams, A.T. (2010). Mesoscale evolution of a headland bay: beach rotation processes. Geomorphology, Vol 123: 129 - 141.

  • Calado, H., Ng, K., Johnson, D.E., Sousa, L., Phillips, M.R. and Alves, F. (2010). Maritime Spatial Planning: Lessons Learned from the Portuguese Debate. Marine Policy, Vol 34: 1341 - 1349.

  • Phillips, M.R., Edwards, A. and Williams, A.T. (2010). An incremental scenic assessment of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, UK. The Geographical Journal, Vol 176(4): 291-303.

  • Phillips, M.R., Powell, V.A. and Duck, R.W. (2009). Coastal regeneration at Llanelli, South Wales, UK: lessons not learned. Journal of Coastal Research. SI 56: 1276 - 1280.

  • Duck, R.W., Phillips, M.R., Williams, A.T. and Wadham, T.A. (2009). Is beach scenic quality a function of habitat diversity? Journal of Coastal Research. SI 56: 415 - 418.

  • Jenkins, R.E., Brown, R.D.H. and Phillips, M.R. (2009). Harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) conservation management: a dimensional approach. Marine Policy, 33(5): 744-749.

  • Vaz, B., Williams, A.T., Pereira da Silva, C. and Phillips, M.R. (2009). The importance of user's perceptions for beach management. Journal of Coastal Research. SI 56: 1164 - 1168.

  • Wells, I., Phillips, M.R., Rhodes, M. and Crowther, I. (2009). Automated Sensing Technologies for Coastal Monitoring (ASTEC). International Oceans Systems Mar/Apr 2009. 3pp.

  • Phillips, M.R. and House, C. (2009). An evaluation of priorities for beach tourism: case studies from South Wales, UK. Tourism Management. Vol 30(2): 176 - 183.

  • Phillips M.R. (2008). Beach erosion and marine aggregate dredging: a question of evidence? The Geographical Journal. Vol 174(4): 332-343.

  • Phillips, M.R. (2008). Consequences of short term changes in coastal processes: a case study. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. Vol 33(13): 2094 - 2107.

  • Phillips, M.R., Abraham, E. J., Williams, A. T. and House, C. (2007). Function analysis as a coastal management tool: the South Wales coastline UK. Journal of Coastal Conservation. Vol. 11(3): 159-170.

  • Phillips, M.R. (2007). Beach response to a total exclusion barrage: Cardiff Bay, South Wales, UK. Journal of Coastal Research. Vol. 23(3): 794-805.

  • Phillips, M.R. and Williams, A. T. (2007). Depth of Closure and Shoreline Indicators - Empirical Formulae for Beach Management. Journal of Coastal Research. Vol. 23(2): 487-500.

  • Williams, A. T., Sellers, V. E. and Phillips, M.R. (2007). An assessment of South Wales (UK) Heritage Coasts: J. A. Steers revisited. Journal of Coastal Research. SI 50: 453-458.

  • Phillips, M.R. and Jones, A.L. (2006). Erosion and tourism infrastructure in the coastal zone: problems, consequences and management. Tourism Management. Vol. 27(3): 517-524.

  • Williams, A. T., Ergin, A., Micallef, A. and Phillips, M.R. (2005). Public Perception of Coastal Structures at Groyned beaches. Zeitschrift fur Geomorphologie. Vol. 141: 111-122.

  • Phillips, M.R. (2003). Aspects of climate change, consequences and management in the coastal zone. Environmental Scientist. Vol. 12(2): 1-8.

  • Phillips, M.R. and Williams, A.T. (2000). Barrages: amenities or environmental disasters - case studies from the South Wales coastline, UK. Periodicum Biologorum Vol. 102, Supplement 1. 355-363.

  • Phillips, M.R. (2000). Conservation issues in the coastal zone - a case study. Environmental Scientist. Vol. 9(2): 1-4.