Nieves Valiente

Academic profile

Dr Nieves Valiente

Lecturer in Marine Science (Coastal Processes)
School of Biological and Marine Sciences (Faculty of Science and Engineering)

The Global Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. Nieves's work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

Goal 14: SDG 14 - Life Below Water

About Nieves

I am a Lecturer in Marine Sciences (Coastal Processes) focusing on understanding the multi-scale coastal dynamics and hazards through field measurements and numerical simulations of ocean currents, wind-waves and sediment transport. My current project, SPLASH, will develop a digital prototype for forecasting wave overtopping using AI and EO. Before taking on my current role, I was previously working as a senior wave scientist at the Ocean Forecasting R&D group of the UK Met Office, studying the air-sea boundary layer dynamics and contributing to develop novel coupling strategies between atmosphere, waves and ocean global and regional models. I was part of the WAVEWATCH III code developer group and I was the co-chair of the Surface Waves Activity Group in the UK National Partnership for Ocean Prediction.

As a member of the Coastal Processes Research Group, I help designing and conducting monitoring programs, field deployments, and numerical modeling of coastal hydrodynamics and sediment transport. I also teach several ocean modules and supports and advises graduate and undergraduate students.

I completed a B.Sc. in Marine Sciences (five-year degree in physical oceanography) at the University of Vigo, Spain. I hold a M.Sc. degree in Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Engineering (Hydraulic Institute of Cantabria; University of Cantabria, Spain) and a Ph.D. on Coastal Processes (University of Plymouth, UK). My Ph.D. studied those linkages between the upper shoreface and the inner continental shelf during storm conditions and major implications in the subsequent beach recovery. The study combined morphological observations, in-situ measurements of waves and currents, and numerical simulations of sediment transport (using Delft3D-WAVE and Delft3D-FLOW).

 

Teaching

Currently teaches:

  • OS105 Mapping the Marine Environment (Module Leader)
  • OS202 Monitoring the Marine Environment
  • OS312 Marine Science Field Course (Module Leader)

Completed PhD students:

  • Student: Mariona Casamayor. Thesis: "Study of the transport and morphology of San Felipe beach". Succesfully defended in September 2022, University of Las Palmas (Spain).

Contact Nieves

floor 3, Marine Building, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA