Dr. Alissa Flatley is a lecturer in physical geography at UNSW, Canberra. She is broadly interested in the interaction and management between human-physical systems. Alissa completed her PhD in 2022 at the University of Melbourne where her research examined the geomorphology of small arid zone streams in the Eastern Pilbara, (Western Australia) and implications for mining river relocation designs. After her PhD, Alissa worked as a senior...view more
Dr. Alissa Flatley is a lecturer in physical geography at UNSW, Canberra. She is broadly interested in the interaction and management between human-physical systems. Alissa completed her PhD in 2022 at the University of Melbourne where her research examined the geomorphology of small arid zone streams in the Eastern Pilbara, (Western Australia) and implications for mining river relocation designs. After her PhD, Alissa worked as a senior tutor, then associate lecturer and research assistant at the University of Melbourne where she supported research projects in cosmogenic isotope analysis and optically stimulated luminescence of Quaternary materials. After a brief period of time spent in Wales, she joined UNSW Canberra in early 2025.
My Research Activities
Alissa integrates novel geomorphic techniques with remote sensing and GIS mapping to address issues relating both for past Quaternary environments and anthropogenically driven environmental change. During her PhD, she was an AINSE scholar, allowing her to undertake further landscape research in dryland environments using cosmogenic isotope dating conducted at ANSTO, Australia. Alissa applies geochronological techniques to further our understanding of the interaction between human-physical systems and landscape processes at a range of timescales.
My Research Supervision
Supervision keywords
Areas of supervision
I am able to supervise postgraduate students interested in either pursuing the Masters by Research or PhD program at UNSW Canberra. I welcome potential project enquiries in geography, fluvial geomorphology, remote sensing, catchment management and geochronology.
Potential research topics include:
- Applying multiple terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides to understand landscape dynamics in Australia
- Dryland geomorphology of mesic systems and headwater channels
- Understanding the life-cycle and dynamics of barforms in arid ephemeral rivers
- Using InSAR to assess the impact of tropical cyclones on asbestos tailings containment in the Pilbara, WA - the largest contaminated site in the southern hemisphere.
- Quantifying fire-load changes to dryland headwater streams from invasive buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris)
- River diversion dynamics and long-term landscape stability
Currently supervising
I am currently co-supervising the following students:
- Yuzong Chen (University of Melbourne)
PhD Thesis Title: Taming the nine dragons at the local level: How China's River Chief System changes the Tiao- Kuai authority relations in the local government water/river management
MSc Dissertation Title: Where there's a worm, there's a way: addressing the potential of vermicomposting for sustained environmental change in Wales
My Teaching
I am involved in the delivery of the following subjects in the School of Science at UNSW Canberra:
Geography 1A (ZPEM1201), Geography 1B (ZPEM1202), Environmental Hazards (ZPEM3204) and The Art and Science of Doing Geography (ZPEM2213).
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0577-1731