Planet Earth

Ruth takes us from Hull’s rainy rooftops to Kenya’s sunny sands, sharing fun research tales, water-related party tricks, and big ideas on how our spaces shape us—and how we can shape them right back.

In the Water Indicators report for 2023, the EPA announced that there were no significant improvements in water quality, improvements in some water bodies are being offset against declines in other water bodies. This research examines examine the impact of storm events on water quality by the use of in-stream sensors that record water quality parameters every 15 minutes. With climate change predicted to increase the frequency and intensity of storm events, it’s important that we track these changes in water quality so suitable measures can be taken to protect those water bodies.

The talk presents how the AI2Peat project uses satellite imagery, human and artificial intelligence to monitor peatland condition at national scale.

One of the greatest challenges Ireland faces today is tackling climate change and transitioning to a greener, more sustainable energy grid. Solar power is playing an increasingly important role in this transition. However, while solar energy is both clean and renewable, the amount of electricity solar panels generate depends on factors like weather conditions, time of day and the season. This natural variability poses challenges for energy planning and grid management. To address this, we develop advanced forecasting models to predict solar energy potential across Ireland, helping to balance supply and demand more effectively.