Sinéad Lyster

I am a geoscientist working at the intersection between surface processes, sedimentology, and stratigraphy. I am interested in how surface processes shape the sedimentary record and, in turn, how we can exploit the sedimentary record to understand landscape evolution. This is crucial to understand how ancient and modern landscapes evolved on Earth and other planets, and to predict how modern landscapes will evolve in response to climate change. 

To achieve this, my research is focused on understanding landscape dynamics in space and time, spanning alluvial fan, river, coastal, and nearshore settings. I tackle questions such as:

1. How did ancient rivers respond to climate change, and what factors determine the magnitude of river response?

2. How does vegetation impact landscape dynamics, and how did Paleozoic land plant evolution shape early Earth?

3. How does sediment cohesion impact the morphology and deposits of fans, rivers, and deltas? Can we use these insights to decipher the origins of landforms on planetary surfaces?

4. How much sediment-laden ("dirty") sea ice is in the Arctic, and where is the sediment sourced from?

5. Which aspects of discharge variability are most important for driving landscape change?  

Currently, I am a postdoctoral researcher at Penn State University in both the Coastal Landscape Dynamics group and the Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction and Surface Earth Dynamics group. Previously, I completed my PhD in the Surface Processes Group at Imperial College London, and my integrated Bachelors and Masters degree at University College London.

Check out my research page to learn more!