Meet the staff Dr Duncan Quincey
My background is in remote sensing – which by
I became interested in glaciology, and I have
in these areas flows into the Asian sub-continent
definition means we can observe the
been remotely sensing mountain glaciers ever
and is used for drinking, irrigation and sanitation,
environment without actually being there. But I
since!
so any reduction in glacier volumes as a
quickly learned that all remote sensing needs
response to global warming is potentially of
ground validation – something I cite regularly as
I am particularly interested in how mountain
concern. In addition, many glaciers here (and
justification for visiting various wild and
glaciers are responding to climatic change – as
other mountainous regions across the world) are
mountainous landscapes!
this has important implications for downstream
developing large glacial lakes at their termini,
water supply and also because some of the
dammed by poorly consolidated sediments that
The path to becoming a lecturer in the School of
changes can be hazardous for people living in
can fail without warning. The resulting outburst
Geography is one that I can trace back to my first
the local region. Most of my research focuses on
floods can travel for many kilometres
remote sensing lecture as an undergraduate at
the Himalayas
Durham University – and for the first time finding
– and
a subject in which I could see myself forging a
specifically the
career. That took me to Aberdeen where I
northern-most
completed an MSc in Environmental Remote
areas of
Sensing, and then to NERC, where I worked with
Pakistan,
their Airborne Remote Sensing Facility. When I
India, Nepal
saw a PhD advertised at Aberystwyth with a
and Bhutan.
requirement to spend long field seasons at high-
Water released
4
“
elevation I jumped at the chance – that was when by glacier melt
“
I have always loved the outdoors and in particular the mountains – being a geographer is a great excuse for getting out and about!