South West Coastal Monitoring (SWCM) provided an irreplaceable one-month placement opportunity at the end of my second-year at the University of Plymouth, where I’m studying BSc (Hons) Geography with Ocean Science. The internship enabled me to gain experiences of beach surveying processes, support the CoastSnap project, alongside learning the procedures required to quality-control topographic and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data.
My main role was to develop a ‘Holistic Overview of the Severn Estuary’ area. This consisted of LiDAR, topographic, and hydrodynamic analysis, delivering an insight into site-specific coastal evolution for coastal practitioners, to support shoreline management plan decisions.
For this study, I assessed LiDAR height difference models, built in ArcGIS Pro, to find variations in coastal volumes. Alongside these, I examined topographic interim beach profiles to identify patterns of accretive (increase in beach volume) and erosive events. In order to derive drivers of regional coastal change, I compared topographic and LiDAR measurements against hydrodynamic records from the Minehead Datawell Directional Waverider Buoy MK III, presented through the application of MATLAB software. Coding was a new skill I learnt during my placement, however the SWCM team were incredibly supportive and guided me through the procedure.
The placement included days out of the office, encompassing beach surveys and a meeting with coastal practitioners at Steart Marshes, including the Environment Agency and local council members, to discuss shoreline management plan decisions. Moreover, I attended the 2023 UK Coastal Research Conference, enabling networking opportunities with academics and coastal authorities on a national and international scale, learning new innovative developments within the sector.
The entire SWCM team warmly welcomed me, instantly making me feel part of the team. The knowledge I gained was generated from once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and encompassed a vast selection of challenges. It allowed me to develop subject-specific skills which are not taught to the same level of detail within a degree programme.
My placement has been the most invaluable experience, strengthened by the friendliest and most supportive team.
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