People

Dr. Sarah McSweeney is a coastal geomorphologist in the School of Earth and Environment at Canterbury University who has helped develop the Canterbury wave monitoring network. Sarah’s work focuses on the interactions between waves, sea level, and coastal sediment transport and how these processes shape our coastlines. More specifically, her research focuses on river mouth processes, coastal landform evolution, and how coastal processes, including waves, are impacted by people and climate change. Sarah is passionate about undertaking research that is useful in practice for coastal communities and managers.

Environment Canterbury is the Regional Council for Canterbury. Environment Canterbury is responsible for managing the use and quality of Canterbury’s natural resources, including water, land, and air. As a Regional Council they are also responsible for flood protection, public transport, Civil Defence, and the management of natural hazards. Environment Canterbury’s runs a coastal hazard investigations and monitoring programme to better understand Canterbury’s coastal geomorphology and coastal hazard-scape. By understanding the drivers behind coastal change, such as waves they can better manage the effects of current and future coastal hazards on communities and the natural coastal environment.

Email: justin.cope@ecan.govt.nz