Prof Sarah Davies
BA Geography (1995), University of Sheffield MRes (1996), PhD (2000), University of Edinburgh

Professor
Head of Department (Geography)
Department of Geography and Earth Sciences
Contact Details
- Email: sjd@aber.ac.uk
- ORCID: 0000-0002-0994-0440
- Office: E21d, Llandinam Building
- Phone: +44 (0) 1970 622585
- Twitter: @sarahdavies_sjd
- Research Portal Profile
Profile
I joined DGES in September 2002 as a lecturer in Physical Geography and Environmental Science. I was appointed Senior Lecturer in October 2008 .My research focuses on reconstructing climatic and environmental change using evidence from lake sediments. I am particularly interested in the interactions between people, climate and environment over a range of timescales. Most of my work to date has focused in tropical regions such as Mexico and Ethiopia, where I am involved in ongoing projects. Closer to home, I also work on sedimentary and historical records of climatic variability and extreme weather and their impacts in Wales and the UK.
Teaching
Module Coordinator
Attendance Dept Admin
- DA20820 - Astudio Cymru Gyfoes
- GS13020 - Researching the World: data collection and analysis
- GS29020 - Environmental Science Fieldwork
- GS31030 - Pollution in the Arctic (UNIS)
- GS31240 - Sociology Dissertation
- GS35320 - Advanced Fieldwork Skills
- DA10520 - Newid a gwrthdaro: Cynhyrchu gofodau gwledig a threfol
- DA31240 - Traethawd Estynedig Cymdeithaseg
- DAS0260 - Lleoliad Gwaith
- GS01120 - Information in a Post-Truth World
- GS10220 - Conflict and Change: the making of urban and rural spaces
- GS10720 - Life on Earth
- GS21910 - Reconstructing Past Environments
- GS22920 - Placing Culture
- GS25020 - Introduction to Social Theory
- GS37520 - Urban Risk and Environmental Resilience
- GSS0260 - Work Placement
- GS10520 - Earth Surface Environments
- GS15120 - Thinking Sociologically
- GS21010 - Chemical Analysis of Natural Materials
- GS23710 - Geographical Information Systems
- GS34220 - Geography Joint Honours/Major Project
- GS36820 - The Global Countryside: Geographical and Sociological Perspectives
- GS37920 - Memory Cultures: heritage, identity and power
- GSS0360 - Work Placement
- DA11520 - Sut i Greu Planed
- GS12520 - An introduction to Earth Materials
- GS16120 - Key Concepts in Sociology
- GS22720 - Fundamentals of Geochemistry
- GS23020 - Placing Politics
- GS23510 - The Frozen Planet
- GS24220 - Understanding (in)equality and (in)justice
- GS30420 - Volcanic Activity: Hazards and Environmental Change
- GS31120 - Applied Environmental Management
- GS32230 - Arctic Hydrology and Climate Change (UNIS)
- GS33320 - Everyday Social Worlds
- GS33420 - Glaciers and Ice Sheets
- GS34040 - Geography Dissertation
- GS39120 - Contemporary Global Migration
- DA20510 - Ymchwilio i bobl a lle
- DA25420 - Dylunio Ymchwil a Sgiliau Gwaith Maes
- DA35140 - Traethawd Estynedig Gwyddor Daear yr Amgylchedd
- GS11320 - Fieldwork Skills
- GS14220 - Place and Identity
- GS20020 - Geography Research Design and Fieldwork Skills
- GS23810 - Quantitative Data Analysis
- GS32020 - Monitoring our Planet's Health from Space
- GS32430 - Arctic Marine Geology (UNIS)
- DA10020 - Byw mewn Byd Peryglus
- DA22510 - Geomorffoleg Afonol
- DA31720 - Rheoli'r Amgylchedd Gymreig
- GS10020 - Living in a Dangerous World
- GS11520 - How to Build a Planet
- GS22620 - Advanced Earth Materials
- GS32330 - The Quaternary History of Svalbard (UNIS)
- GS33720 - People, Climate and Environment: a Palaeoenvironmental Perspective
- DA23020 - Lleoli Gwleidyddiaeth
- DA32220 - Cenedlaetholdeb a chymdeithas
- DA34040 - Traethawd Estynedig Daearyddiaeth
- DA34220 - Prosiect Daearyddiaeth Anrhydedd Cyfun/Prif Bwnc
- DAS0360 - Lleoliad Gwaith
- GS00420 - Environmental Management
- GS17120 - Introducing Sociological Research
- GS20510 - Social Research Methods
- GS21120 - Physical Geography and Environmental Science Research Design and Fieldwork Skills
- GS21420 - Environmental Earth Science Research Design and Fieldwork Skills
- GS21820 - Field Skills
- GS22010 - Physical Analysis of Natural Materials
- GS25210 - Catchment Systems
- GS35240 - Environmental Science Dissertation
- DA11220 - Methodoleg Maes Amgylcheddol
- DA35240 - Traethawd Estynedig Gwyddor yr Amgylchedd
- GS20410 - Concepts for Geographers
- GS21520 - Human Geography and Sociology Research Design and Fieldwork Skills
- GS28910 - Geographical Perspectives on the Sustainable Society
- GS30020 - The psychosocial century
- GS30320 - Environmental geochemistry and biogeochemistry
- GS35140 - Environmental Earth Science Dissertation
- GS09520 - How to be a Student 1
- GS09320 - How to be a Student 2
- GS09820 - Representing the Other: Cultures and Clashes
- GS09920 - Introduction to Humanities
- GS09720 - Introduction to Social Science
- GS09620 - The ‘Othered' Migrant: Social Science Perspectives
- GS00820 - Understanding Change - Environment, People, Places
- GS21620 - Sociological Research in the 'Field'
Blackboard Dept Admin
- DA25420 - Dylunio Ymchwil a Sgiliau Gwaith Maes
- DA35140 - Traethawd Estynedig Gwyddor Daear yr Amgylchedd
- GS12520 - An introduction to Earth Materials
- GS16120 - Key Concepts in Sociology
- GS20510 - Social Research Methods
- GS21120 - Physical Geography and Environmental Science Research Design and Fieldwork Skills
- GS22620 - Advanced Earth Materials
- GS22920 - Placing Culture
- GS30320 - Environmental geochemistry and biogeochemistry
- GS31030 - Pollution in the Arctic (UNIS)
- GS32330 - The Quaternary History of Svalbard (UNIS)
- GS34040 - Geography Dissertation
- DA34220 - Prosiect Daearyddiaeth Anrhydedd Cyfun/Prif Bwnc
- GS14220 - Place and Identity
- GS21010 - Chemical Analysis of Natural Materials
- GS25020 - Introduction to Social Theory
- GS31240 - Sociology Dissertation
- GS32020 - Monitoring our Planet's Health from Space
- GS32430 - Arctic Marine Geology (UNIS)
- GS39120 - Contemporary Global Migration
- GSS0360 - Work Placement
- DA10020 - Byw mewn Byd Peryglus
- DA11520 - Sut i Greu Planed
- DA23020 - Lleoli Gwleidyddiaeth
- GS11320 - Fieldwork Skills
- GS22010 - Physical Analysis of Natural Materials
- GS22720 - Fundamentals of Geochemistry
- GS35320 - Advanced Fieldwork Skills
- GS37520 - Urban Risk and Environmental Resilience
- GS37920 - Memory Cultures: heritage, identity and power
- GSS0260 - Work Placement
- GS17120 - Introducing Sociological Research
- GS21420 - Environmental Earth Science Research Design and Fieldwork Skills
- GS23020 - Placing Politics
- GS23710 - Geographical Information Systems
- GS23810 - Quantitative Data Analysis
- GS25210 - Catchment Systems
- DA20820 - Astudio Cymru Gyfoes
- GS10020 - Living in a Dangerous World
- GS10220 - Conflict and Change: the making of urban and rural spaces
- GS11520 - How to Build a Planet
- GS15120 - Thinking Sociologically
- GS21520 - Human Geography and Sociology Research Design and Fieldwork Skills
- GS30420 - Volcanic Activity: Hazards and Environmental Change
- DA20510 - Ymchwilio i bobl a lle
- DA31720 - Rheoli'r Amgylchedd Gymreig
- DA32220 - Cenedlaetholdeb a chymdeithas
- DAS0260 - Lleoliad Gwaith
- DAS0360 - Lleoliad Gwaith
- GS10520 - Earth Surface Environments
- GS20410 - Concepts for Geographers
- GS24220 - Understanding (in)equality and (in)justice
- GS33420 - Glaciers and Ice Sheets
- GS34220 - Geography Joint Honours/Major Project
- GS35140 - Environmental Earth Science Dissertation
- GS36820 - The Global Countryside: Geographical and Sociological Perspectives
- DA10520 - Newid a gwrthdaro: Cynhyrchu gofodau gwledig a threfol
- DA22510 - Geomorffoleg Afonol
- GS20020 - Geography Research Design and Fieldwork Skills
- GS21820 - Field Skills
- GS21910 - Reconstructing Past Environments
- GS23510 - The Frozen Planet
- GS28910 - Geographical Perspectives on the Sustainable Society
- GS29020 - Environmental Science Fieldwork
- GS33720 - People, Climate and Environment: a Palaeoenvironmental Perspective
- DA11220 - Methodoleg Maes Amgylcheddol
- DA31240 - Traethawd Estynedig Cymdeithaseg
- DA34040 - Traethawd Estynedig Daearyddiaeth
- DA35240 - Traethawd Estynedig Gwyddor yr Amgylchedd
- GS00420 - Environmental Management
- GS01120 - Information in a Post-Truth World
- GS10720 - Life on Earth
- GS13020 - Researching the World: data collection and analysis
- GS30020 - The psychosocial century
- GS31120 - Applied Environmental Management
- GS32230 - Arctic Hydrology and Climate Change (UNIS)
- GS33320 - Everyday Social Worlds
- GS35240 - Environmental Science Dissertation
- GS09320 - How to be a Student 2
- GS09520 - How to be a Student 1
- GS09720 - Introduction to Social Science
- GS09820 - Representing the Other: Cultures and Clashes
- GS09620 - The ‘Othered' Migrant: Social Science Perspectives
- GS09920 - Introduction to Humanities
- GS00820 - Understanding Change - Environment, People, Places
- GS21620 - Sociological Research in the 'Field'
Lecturer
- GS13020 - Researching the World: data collection and analysis
- EAM4660 - Dissertation in Environmental Change Impacts and Adaptation
- GS21820 - Field Skills
- GS33720 - People, Climate and Environment: a Palaeoenvironmental Perspective
- GS12520 - An introduction to Earth Materials
- GS35320 - Advanced Fieldwork Skills
- GS21120 - Physical Geography and Environmental Science Research Design and Fieldwork Skills
- EAM1120 - Advanced Research Skills 1: science communication and data analysis
- GS34040 - Geography Dissertation
Tutor
- EAM4520 - Managing Environmental Change in Practice
- GS21910 - Reconstructing Past Environments
- GS33720 - People, Climate and Environment: a Palaeoenvironmental Perspective
- EAM4120 - Environmental Change: a Palaeo Perspective
- EAM4320 - Global Climate Change: Debates and Impacts
- GS10520 - Earth Surface Environments
Coordinator
Grader
Research
I am a Co-Investigator on an AHRC-funded research project investigating historical weather extremes in the UK (Spaces of experience and horizons of expectation: the implications of weather extremes, past, present and future). With Dr Cerys Jones and Dr Marie-Jeanne Royer, I am focusing on gathering archival research and oral histories of the impacts and responses to weather extremes in Wales over the past three centuries. Our project involves collaboration with Natural Resources Wales and is supported by the Climate Change Consortium of Wales. We teamed up with cooleague at Llen Natur to celebrate the launch of the online transcribed diaries of William Bulkeley, Llanfechell, Anglesey. These diaries, written between 1734 and 1760 represent a key source for our project.
I am participating in the Hominin Sites and Paleoenvironments Drilling Project (2014-2017), which focuses on continental records of climate variability in eastern Africa spanning key periods of human evolution and dispersal. This is an international collaboration between the USA, Germany, Ethiopia and UK scientists, funded by ICDP, NSF, NERC and CRC. As co-investigator on a NERC project led by Prof Henry Lamb, my role is to analyse the diatom record from a 500,000 year record from Chew Bahir in Southern Ethiopia, in collaboration with Prof Phil Barker (Lancaster University).
Current PhD Students
- Gwydion Jones, Swansea University (external supervisor, with Prof. Siwan Davies and Dr. Neil Loader)
- Melanie Kingsbury, University of Stirling (external supervisor, with Dr. Bob McCulloch)
Postdoctoral Supervision
- Dr Marie-Jeanne Royer