Description

The course focuses on oceanic and coastal environments with an emphasis on processes together with management strategies. Basic principles of oceanography will be covered, as well as their effects on marine biology, including: properties of seawater, tides, oceanic and coastal circulation. The physical environment, e,g. waves, currents, sediment movement, beaches (various types), erosion/deposition mechanisms (e.g. cliffs, dunes, etc), and potential consequences of sea-level rise and global warming, is integrated with anthropogenic dimensions, i.e. usage, coastal defence, pollution (e.g. persistent marine debris) and resource exploitation. Furthermore, the course will give students an understanding of human interaction consequences in both ocean and coastal environments and an introduction to quantitative techniques for data processing, measuring and data presentation in the field of coastal and marine sciences.

Learning outcomes

• Students will develop a basic understanding of the principles of oceanography as well as their effects on marine ecology
• Students will gain an understanding of the complex interrelationships regarding physical and anthropogenic interactions with coastal and marine systems
• Students will be able to define coastal environments according to physical processes and critically evaluate human influences operating in this complex zone
• Students will be aware of complementary and competing interests associated with the coastal zone and their consequences
• Students will be able to develop a research project proposing a solution or an improvement to an existing coastal scenario
  

Assessment

Class presentation (20%), seminar participation (10%) and 1 paper written in the format of a named international journal (70%).

Instructor

Mike Phillips has a BSc in Civil Engineering, an MSc in Environmental Conservation Management and a PhD in Coastal Processes and Geomorphology. He is a member of the Severn Estuary Research Advisory Group for future management in response to climate change and sea-level rise and is currently vice-chairman of the Coastal and Marine Working Group of the Royal Geographical Society. He recently participated in the Fourth Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands in Hanoi and in an expert panel at Coastal Zone Canada 2008. Mike has published over 50 research papers and book chapters and has recently been appointed to the Editorial Board of the Journal of Coastal Research. He is currently Head of the School of Built and Natural Environment at Swansea Metropolitan University and has taught coastal processes for many years at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Dr. Steingrímur Jónsson (Iceland) earned his PhD from the University of Bergen, Norway in Physical Oceanography, his MS in Geophysics from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark and his bachelors from State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, New York, USA. He is presently a Professor at the University of Akureyri and a scientist at the Marine Research Institute. Dr. Jónsson spent a year as a visiting scientist at the Bjerknes Center for Climate Research in Bergen, Norway. His research interests include general oceanography of Icelandic seas, the effect of oceanic conditions on biological resources, climate variability and its effects, ocean currents around Iceland and their variability and oceanography of Icelandic fjords.

Guest lecturer

Further reading