Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Matthew is an Associate Professor in Physical Geography and Natural Hazards, with a research career that has focused on using remote sensing (mainly thermal) for the monitoring of GeoHazards (mainly volcanoes and earthquakes, but also urban heat islands and wildfires) via sensors found on NASA/ESA satellites. He has also worked more generally on geographical and interdisciplinary research projects involving the use of computing, programming, GIS and modelling, and is passionate to ensure that his scientific research is positively impactful for society. Matthew regularly contributes to the broadcast and written media on the themes above. In his current role as Curriculum Lead for Energy and Environment courses in the University, Matthew leads 10 undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and is insistent on the incorporation of cutting-edge research into all the teaching delivered on them.
Matthew completed his PhD at King’s College, London (KCL), where he utilised his computing and geographic skills in the remote sensing of earthquakes and volcanoes. Following this, he completed a post-doctoral position, also at KCL, where he worked on a project comparing urban energy balance models (these form important components of global climate models). During his time at KCL, Matthew was a tutor and lecturer both there, and at the London School of Economics. Matthew started a lectureship at Coventry University in 2010 and since joining, has maintained his research interests and has had the opportunity to be a visiting researcher at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks (where he remains as Associate Faculty), the University of Hawaii, Manoa and the China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou; he has also been a visiting lecturer at Sichuan University, Chengdu (2017-2019).
Outside of his research, Matthew has led many modules (both undergraduate and postgraduate) on themes ranging from GIS and remote sensing, natural hazards and their management, to more generic themes of general physical geography/geology and research skills.
Matthew has ambitious research plans, which consist of utilising, more widely, AI, and other modelling techniques, in the monitoring (and potential prediction) of volcanic activity and wildfires. He is in an excellent position to ensure this happens, in terms of profile and research contacts. He hopes that such work will be useful for society and can help in the achievement of several of the UN's SDGs.
Research Interests
Natural hazards; Natural disasters; Environmental change management; Remote sensing; Volcanoes; Earthquakes, Wildfires, Climate modelling, Landscape Modelling
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Higher Education Practice, Postgraduate Certificate, Coventry University
Remote Sensing, Doctorate, An Investigation into the Detection and Analysis of Potential Land Surface Thermal Anomalies associated with Terrestrial Volcanoes and Earthquakes using NASA EOS and Other Post-2000 Satellite Observations, King's College London
Geography, Degree, Queen Mary University of London
Information Technology, MSc, Queen Mary University of London
External positions
Lecturer (Summer Immersion Programme), Sichuan University
2017 → …
Visiting Research Fellow, University of Hawaii
Aug 2016
Visiting Scholar, China University of Mining and Technology
Mar 2013
Applied Research Fellow + Affiliate Faculty Member, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Jun 2012 → …
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 1 Finished
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Modelling and Mapping statistical probabilities; correlation between Zika virus transmission
Charlesworth, S., Blackett, M. & Warwick, F.
2/04/17 → 1/04/19
Project: Research
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Evaluation of CMIP6 model performances in simulating fire weather spatiotemporal variability on global and regional scales
Gallo, C., Eden, J. M., Dieppois, B., Drobyshev, I., Fulé, P. Z., San-Miguel-Ayanz, J. & Blackett, M., 1 Jun 2023, In: Geoscientific Model Development. 16, p. 3103–3122 20 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile17 Downloads (Pure) -
The April 2021 Cape Town wildfire: has anthropogenic climate change altered the likelihood of extreme fire weather?
Liu, Z., Eden, J. M., Dieppois, B., Conradie, W. S. & Blackett, M., 1 Jan 2023, In: Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 104, 1, p. E298–E304 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Citation (Scopus)3 Downloads (Pure) -
Water Management Education in the East African Region: A Review of the Challenges to Be Addressed
Nalumenya, B., Rubinato, M., Kennedy, M., Catterson, J., Bakamwesiga, H. & Blackett, M., 27 Jul 2023, In: Sustainability. 15, 15, 22 p., 11597.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile7 Downloads (Pure) -
A global view of observed changes in fire weather extremes: uncertainties and attribution to climate change.
Liu, Z., Eden, J., Dieppois, B. & Blackett, M., 22 Jul 2022, In: Climatic Change. 173, 20 p., 14.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Citations (Scopus)1 Downloads (Pure) -
Future orbiting and in-situ exploration of Venus: Mount Etna as terrestrial analogue.
D'Incecco, P., Filiberto, J., Eggers, G. L., López, I., Mari, N., Monaco, C., Leone, G., Gorinov, D. A., Di Achille, G., Martynov, A., Pisarenko, P., Cardinale, M., Aveni, S. S., Blackett, M. & El Yazidi, M., Jun 2022.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review
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Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Higher Education Academy Conference
Yung-Fang Chen (Speaker) & Matthew Blackett (Speaker)
1 Feb 2017Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
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International Conference of Indonesian Society for Remote Sensing
Matthew Blackett (Speaker)
17 Oct 2016 → 19 Oct 2016Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
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Volcanic Disaster Risk Reduction, Resilience, Well-being and Culture Workshop
Matthew Blackett (Organiser)
15 Feb 2016 → 19 Feb 2016Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
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EGU General Assembly
Charley Hill-Butler (Speaker) & Matthew Blackett (Speaker)
2015Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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China University of Mining and Technology Conference
Matthew Blackett (Speaker)
1 Apr 2014Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
Prizes
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Outstanding Research Supervisory Team 2023
Eden, Jonathan (Recipient), Dieppois, Bastien (Recipient) & Blackett, Matthew (Recipient), 1 Feb 2023
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Press/Media
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Climate change behind the 2021 Table Mountain fire – study
Zhongwei Liu, Jonathan Eden, Bastien Dieppois, Stefaan Conradie & Matthew Blackett
2/03/23
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Other
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Cape Town’s 2021 runaway wildfire: an effect of climate change
Zhongwei Liu, Jonathan Eden, Bastien Dieppois, Stefaan Conradie & Matthew Blackett
27/02/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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How the 2021 UCT fire ties into climate change, and extreme fire weather in Cape Town’s future
Zhongwei Liu, Jonathan Eden, Bastien Dieppois, Stefaan Conradie & Matthew Blackett
6/02/23
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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BBC Gloucester: Floods and landslides in Philippines and South Africa
5/04/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Underwater volcanoes: how ocean colour changes can signal an imminent eruption
21/01/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment