Isabelle Utley

From a childhood passion for the environment to graduating with First Class Honours in Environmental Geoscience BSc from Cardiff University in 2022, my academic journey continued with the support of the James Pantyfedwen Foundation. Electing to stay at Cardiff University, I pursued an MSc in Environmental Hazards, where I obtained a Distinction in 2023. This paved the way for my current doctoral pursuit in Civil (Geotechnical) Engineering at Bath University (2023-2027), researching the impact of climatic extremes on coal tip slope instability in South Wales. These achievements wouldn't have been possible without the Foundation's support, for which I am sincerely thankful.

The MSc program provided an in-depth exploration of natural and human-induced environmental hazards, emphasizing technical expertise in risk assessment through numerical and statistical modelling, remote sensing, and data analysis. The course culminated in a research project on post-seismic debris flows, exploring the interplay between engineering mitigation, hazard risk, and physical vulnerability. The MSc has equipped me with the necessary skillset for a career in hazard-related fields and brings me one step closer to my aspiration of becoming a landslide hazard researcher and advisor. Heartfelt thanks to the James Pantyfedwen Foundation for their unwavering support in advancing my studies and career goals.