Dr David Graham

PhD (Aberystwyth)

  • Visiting Fellow in Physical Geography
Google Scholar

Dr Graham has two primary research themes.  Glacial Geology and Geomorphology explores the nature and significance of glacial sediment-landform associations, focusing especially on their relation to debris-bearing structures within glaciers. This work has included examination of the sediments associated with basal ice at Icelandic glaciers with terminal overdeepenings, the structure of ice-marginal moraines at polythermal Svalbard glaciers, and the nature of deformation beneath polythermal glaciers in Sweden. This research makes extensive use of traditional geomorphological and sedimentological techniques, combined with geophysical methods (ground-penetrating radar and passive seismology) and remote sensing. The knowledge gained from work on contemporary glaciers has been applied to the British Quaternary landform record, especially those landforms associated with the Younger Dryas stadial.  The Innovative Data Collection and Analysis Methods in the Geosciences theme has seen the development of automated methods for the in situ measurement of river-bed sediment texture based on digital-image analysis. The technology facilitates the exploration of variability in river-bed sediment texture at a scale that has not previously been achievable, and work is underway to explore small-scale patterns of particle shape, size and orientation and their impact on hydraulics. This technology has been commercialised under the Sedimetrics® brand, and is now used routinely by a variety of environmental consultants and government agencies (e.g. the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency). Work is also underway to explore the use of alternative sensors (e.g. the Microsoft Kinect), platforms (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) and technologies (e.g. structure-from-motion) in geomorphology and sedimentology research.

Academic Career

  • 2018 onwards: Senior lecturer in Physical Geography, Loughborough University
  • 2008 onwards: Fellow, Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
  • 2005-2018: Lecturer in Physical Geography, Loughborough University
  • 2004-2005: Gatsby Innovation Fellow, Loughborough University
  • 2001-2004: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Loughborough University
  • Awarded 2002: PhD (Aberystwyth) Glacial geology and geomorphology

Professional Responsibilities