Overview
Profile summary
I am a geomorphologist who is fascinated by the way in which landscapes respond to extreme, often sudden-onset perturbations, such as natural dam-break floods. To study these phenomena, I use a range of field- and remote sensing-based methods, such as change detection applied to highly detailed digital elevation data, and numerical hydrodynamic models.
Prior to taking up a position as Associate Professor of Physical Geography in SoGEES in June 2023, I was based in the Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences at Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne, where I was a Postdoctoral Research Assistant on NERC- and Environment Agency-funded projects (2014-2016), a Vice Chancellor's Research Fellow in Extreme Environments (2017-2020), and Assistant (2020-2022) and Associate Professor of Physical Geography (2022-2023). I was employed in industry as a hydrologist (Land and Water Resource Consultants (Mannvit), Cambridge) from 2013-2014.
Professional memberships
Full member, British Society for Geomorphology
Regular member, European Geosciences Union
Roles on external bodies
Trustee and Honorary Treasurer, British Society for Geomorphology (2021 - present)
Supervised research degrees
Dr Rebecca Stewart: 'Reconciling debris supply and transport in deglaciating catchments' (Awarded 2022, Northumbria University)
Fingerprint
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Research output
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A growing threat of multi-hazard cascades highlighted by the Birch Glacier collapse and Blatten landslide in the Swiss Alps
Islam, N., Carrivick, J. L., Coulthard, T., Westoby, M., Dunning, S. & Gindraux, S., 18 Sept 2025, In: Geology Today. 41, 5, p. 200-205 6 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile16 Downloads (Pure) -
Quantifying the seasonal dynamics of a transitional ice cliff-pond system on a debris-covered glacier
He, Z., Westoby, M., Ren, S., Zhao, C., He, Y., Zhang, T. & Yang, W., 10 Nov 2025, In: Journal of Glaciology. 71, e129.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Downloads (Pure) -
Thin and ephemeral snow shapes melt and runoff dynamics in the Peruvian Andes
Fyffe, C. L., Potter, E., Miles, E., Shaw, T. E., McCarthy, M., Orr, A., Loarte, E., Medina, K., Fatichi, S., Hellström, R., Baraer, M., Mateo, E., Cochachin, A., Westoby, M. & Pellicciotti, F., 5 Jun 2025, In: Communications Earth and Environment. 6, 1, 434.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile6 Downloads (Pure) -
Thinning Antarctic glaciers expose high-altitude nunataks delivering more bioavailable iron to the Southern Ocean
Winter, K., Woodward, J., Dunning, S. A., Jordan, J. R., Graly, J. A., Westoby, M. J., Henley, S. F. & Raiswell, R., 24 Nov 2025, In: Nature Communications. 16, 1, 9994.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Downloads (Pure) -
How can geomorphology facilitate a better understanding of glacier and ice sheet behaviour?
Westoby, M., Jones, R. & Miller, L., 2 Jul 2024, In: Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. 49, 12, p. 3677-3683 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile25 Downloads (Pure)
Datasets
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Analysis code for outputs of TOPKAPI-ETH for publication: Thin and ephemeral snow shapes melt and runoff dynamics in the Peruvian Andes
Fyffe, C. (Creator), Potter, E. (Creator), Miles, E. (Creator), Shaw, T. (Creator), McCarthy, M. (Creator), Orr, A. (Creator), LOARTE CADENAS, E. A. (Creator), Medina Marcos, K. D. (Creator), Fatichi, S. (Creator), Hellstrom, R. (Creator), Baraer, M. (Creator), Mateo, E. (Creator), Cochachin, A. (Creator), Westoby, M. (Creator) & Pellicciotti, F. (Creator), ZENODO, 5 May 2025
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15341457, https://zenodo.org/records/15341457
Dataset
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Model outputs for publication 'Thin and ephemeral snow shapes melt and runoff dynamics in the Peruvian Andes '
Fyffe, C. (Creator), Potter, E. (Creator), Miles, E. (Creator), Shaw, T. (Creator), McCarthy, M. (Creator), Orr, A. (Creator), LOARTE CADENAS, E. A. (Creator), Medina Marcos, K. D. (Creator), Fatichi, S. (Creator), Hellstrom, R. (Creator), Baraer, M. (Creator), Mateo, E. (Creator), Cochachin, A. (Creator), Westoby, M. (Creator) & Pellicciotti, F. (Creator), ZENODO, 28 Apr 2025
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15297284, https://zenodo.org/records/15297284
Dataset