Luke Richardson
School of Geography and Planning
PhD Candidate
Full contact details
School of Geography and Planning
Geography and Planning Building
Winter Street
91Ö±²¥
S3 7ND
- Profile
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I work to understand how large blooms of extremophile algae growing on glaciers and Ice Sheets affect the climate of our planet, and the future of mountains and rivers. I split my time between the Departments of Geography and of Chemical and Biological Engineering, working to understand the algal blooms from continental to molecular scales, culturing extreme snow algae and performing multi-omic analysis of field samples.
My main research interests are extremophiles and how to detect them from afar, as well as the endlessly fascinating field of multi-omics used to interrogate the organisms on the molecular scale.
I came to the Department in October 2022, having previously completed a MSc in Evolutionary Biology and Genetics. My expertise is in the statistical analysis of complex ecosystems, image analysis using both classical and ML approaches, and general biological and microbiological skill including proteomics. I have an extensive competitive climbing and amateur mountaineering career, and apply my skills to carry out fieldwork in challenging and remote environments.
Dynamics of Glacier blood: Understanding climatically important extremophiles from the continental to molecular scale
Research aims:
- To track and measure the occurrence and timing of extremophile algae blooms in the European Alps
- Interrogate the ecosystem stressors of blooms using a multi-omic approach
- Synthesise the former two to predict how blooming may contribute to climate cycles and trends.
Research Methods: Remote sensing, Machine Learning, AI, General Mixed Linear Modelling, GIS, Fieldwork, Extremophile Culturing, Genomics, Proteomics, Microscopy and many many others.
Supervisors: Dr Darrel Swift, Dr Robert Bryant, Prof. Jagroop Pandhal
- Qualifications
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2017-2020 MSc Zoology, Department of Animal and Sciences, University of 91Ö±²¥
2020 - Visiting Leonard Eastham research fellow, Department of Physics, University of 91Ö±²¥
2021-2022 - Laboratory Technician, High Storrs School, 91Ö±²¥
2022-Present: PhD, Departments of Geography and of Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Teaching activities
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GEO 356: Geography Dissertation
GEO 21016: Analysing Geographical Data
GEO 21019: Field Class and Dissertation
GEO 6809: Managing Climate Change
- Professional activities and memberships
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Presentations
- Poster, ACCE Conference 2023
- Poster, Annual Microbiology Conference 2024
Gallery Exhibition: Festival of the Mind 2021, "1000 Muses"
Talk: "1000 Muses": Data to Sculpture. Spiegeltent, Festival of the Mind, 2021
Talk: FameLab Regional Finals, Nottingham, 2024
Gallery Exhibition: Festival of the Mind 2021, "1000 Muses"
Awards
Leonard Eastham Award for Exceptional Undergraduate Research
Festival of the Mind, 2021, Grant for construction of 12ft sculpture, "1000 Muses"