Staff Profile

Summary

I am a coastal geomorphologist who focuses on evolution, processes, and hazards at the coast. I am particularly interested in how the coast responds to short, sharp events such as earthquakes or storms.

Background

• Lecturer in Physical Geography (2021 - )
• Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography, University of Canterbury, New Zealand (2018 - 2021)
• Coastal Risk Analyst, Royal National Lifeboat Institution (2017)

Education

• Postgraduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching, University of Canterbury (2021)
• PhD, Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Southampton (2017)
• MRes, Applied Marine Science, Plymouth University (2013)
• BSc Geography with Ocean Science, Plymouth University (2012)

• Pitman SJ, Thompson K, Hart DE, Moran K, Gallop SL, Wooler A, Brander RW. Beachgoers' ability to identify rip currents at a beach in situ. Natural Hazards and Earth Systems Science 2021, 21, 115-128.
• Hart DE, Pitman SJ, Byun D-S. Earthquakes, coasts... and climate change? Multi-hazard opportunities, challenges and approaches for coastal cities. Journal of Coastal Research 2020, 95(sp1), 819-823.
• Pitman SJ, Wright M, Hocken R. An analysis of lifejacket wear, environmental factors, and casualty activity on marine accident fatality rates. Safety Science 2019, 111, 234-242.
• Pitman SJ, Hart DE, Katurji M. Application of UAV techniques to expand beach research possibilities: A case study of coarse clastic beach cusps. Continental Shelf Research 2019, 184, 44-53.
• Pitman SJ, Lee D. Determining the Accuracy of Visual Wave Height Observations and the Perception of Surfzone Hazards made by Lifeguards. Journal of Coastal Research 2019, 35(4), 776-783.
• Pitman SJ, Gallop SL, Brander R. Staying safe on a surf beach: what are rip currents?. Frontiers for Young Minds 2019, 7, 33.
• Pitman SJ, Jol HM, Shulmeister J, Hart DE. Storm response of a mixed sand gravel beach ridge plain under falling relative sea levels: A stratigraphic investigation using Ground Penetrating Radar. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 2019, 44(8), 1610-1617.
• Pitman SJ. Trends in the wear of Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) in the UK 2009–2017. Injury Prevention 2019, 25(6), 585-588.
• Gallop SL, Bryan KR, Pitman SJ, Ranasinghe R, Harrison S. Rip current circulation and surf zone retention on a double barred beach. Marine Geology 2018, 405, 12-22.
• Gallop SL, Woodward E, Brander R, Pitman SJ. Perceptions of rip current myths from the central south coast of England. Ocean and Coastal Management 2016, 119, 14-20.
• Gallop SL, Bryan KR, Pitman SJ, Ranasinghe R, Sandwell D. Pulsations in surf zone currents on a high energy mesotidal beach in New Zealand. Journal of Coastal Research 2016, 75(sp1), 378-382.
• Pitman SJ, Gallop SL, Haigh ID, Mahmoodi S, Masselink G, Ranasinghe R. Synthetic imagery for the automated detection of rip currents. Journal of Coastal Research 2016, 75(sp1), 912-916.
• Pitman SJ, Gallop SL, Haigh ID, Masselink G, Ranasinghe R. Wave breaking patterns control rip current flow regimes and surfzone retention. Marine Geology 2016, 382, 176-190.
• MacDonald K, Hart D, Pitman S. Geomorphic responses of uplifted mixed sand and gravel beaches: Combining short-term observations from Kaikōura, New Zealand with longer-term evidence. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 2023, 66(2), 228-243.