I previously held two lectureships (University College Cork and The University of the South Pacific) and a teaching assistant position (University of Galway) where I have been fortunate to teach on a broad range of topics. I’ve coordinated modules on Freshwater Science (UCC) and Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (UCC) to Pacific Geoscience (University of the South Pacific) and Assessing our Surrounding Environment (University of Galway). As a lecturer, I have gained valuable experience, including preparing, delivering, and setting exams for undergraduate and postgraduate modules. I have coordinated over 10 different modules and been involved in teaching on a further 15 modules. Active, field-based learning are integral to my courses as it gives students the opportunity to examine the interactions between different variables in the natural environment. I have led numerous international fieldtrips throughout my career to various parts of Portugal (2022 and 2023) and Fiji Islands (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017). I have experience supervising Ph.D. and M.Sc. students through to completion and recently been a mentor for a postdoctoral researcher. I recently completed a certificate in learning and teaching in UCC and aim to incorporate my recently acquired knowledge into future modules.
Undergraduate Module Coordination
Current Graduate Supervision
Biography
I am passionate about protecting our environment and maintaining a healthy world. As an environmental geographer, I am interested in understanding how ecosystems respond to changes in climate and anthropogenic activities, along with understanding how we can work with nature to enhance climate action. I am fortunate to have active research projects in mid-latitude and tropical locations with projects focusing on refining out understanding of long-term climate dynamics, developing tools to monitor ecosystem integrity, and identifying carbon loss from land to water.Research Interests
I believe that collaborative interdisciplinary work is crucial for finding effective environmental solutions. As a result, my research is varied, and I have been fortunate to work on projects that range from reconstructing past climates to improving our understanding of carbon in the landscape. While my research is malleable to change, there are recurring themes that underpin my research agenda – to further our understanding of climate dynamics and their impacts on the environment. Of late, my research has evolved to help bridge the gaps between science, policy, and public engagement, creating a more informed and integrative approach to environmental problem-solving. I endeavour to focus my research interests towards national and international strategies, along with alignment with the UN Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I am particularly focused on SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life below Water), SDG 15 (Life on Land). Furthermore, I am affiliated with the Environmental Research Institute at UCC, and my research aligns with two of their core environmental challenges – climate action and a healthy environment.Research Grants
| Project | Funding Body | Start Date | End Date | Award | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporal assessment of Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment (TARE). | Science Foundation Ireland | 01-SEP-22 | 31-AUG-26 | €150,150.00 | |
| Carbon and catchments - Understanding the Impacts and Sources of Carbon Export from land to water (C-UISCE) | Environmental Protection Agency | €599,997.02 | |||
| Biodiversity on urban Landscapes – Assessing Trimmed Habitats and wild zones within the UCC campus (BLÁTH). | University College Cork | €25,970.00 | |||
| Blue CArBON condition Index and tool for Fiji (B-CABONI) | Marine Institute | €149,962.00 | |||
| Projected climate change in Ireland and associated risk to water quality; policy recommendations for Ireland | Government Departments | 27-JUN-22 | 31-OCT-23 | €20,214.00 | |
| Assessing the impact of changing climate on clover-pollinatoR interactions in Irish grasslanDs (ARID). | Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food (DAFF) | €278,615.18 | |||
| Honing our Understanding of MIcrobial Diversity (HUMID) | National University of Ireland (NUI) | 03-APR-23 | 31-MAR-27 | €119,432.00 |
Publications
Peer Reviewed Journals
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2023) | 'Global distribution modelling of a conspicuous Gondwanian soil protist reveals latitudinal dispersal limitation and range contraction in response to climate warming' Bruni E.P.;Rusconi O.;Broennimann O.;Adde A.;Jauslin R.;Krashevska V.;Kosakyan A.;Armynot du Châtelet E.;Alcino J.P.B.;Beyens L.;Blandenier Q.;Bobrov A.;Burdman L.;Duckert C.;Fernández L.D.;Gomes e Souza M.B.;Heger T.J.;Koenig I.;Lahr D.J.G.;McKeown M.;Meisterfeld R.;Singer D.;Voelcker E.;Wilmshurst J.;Wohlhauser S.;Wilkinson D.M.;Guisan A.;Mitchell E.A.D. (2023) 'Global distribution modelling of a conspicuous Gondwanian soil protist reveals latitudinal dispersal limitation and range contraction in response to climate warming'. Diversity and Distributions, [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2023) | 'The three-peat challenge: business as usual, responsible agriculture, and conservation and restoration as management trajectories in global peatlands' Girkin N.T.;Burgess P.J.;Cole L.;Cooper H.V.;Honorio Coronado E.;Davidson S.J.;Hannam J.;Harris J.;Holman I.;McCloskey C.S.;McKeown M.M.;Milner A.M.;Page S.;Smith J.;Young D. (2023) 'The three-peat challenge: business as usual, responsible agriculture, and conservation and restoration as management trajectories in global peatlands'. Carbon Management, 14 (1) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2023) | 'Lake Tagimaucia Montane Lake as a Potential Late Holocene Environmental Archive in Fiji's Volcanic Highlands' Terry J.;Singh K.;Mckeown M. (2023) 'Lake Tagimaucia Montane Lake as a Potential Late Holocene Environmental Archive in Fiji's Volcanic Highlands'. Pacific Science, 76 (3):289-311 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2021) | 'Superficially described and ignored for 92 years, rediscovered and emended: Apodera angatakere (Amoebozoa: Arcellinida: Hyalospheniformes) is a new flagship testate amoeba taxon from Aotearoa (New Zealand)' Duckert C;Blandenier Q;McKeown M;Hohaia H;Luketa S;Wilmshurst J;Lara E;Mitchell EAD; (2021) 'Superficially described and ignored for 92 years, rediscovered and emended: Apodera angatakere (Amoebozoa: Arcellinida: Hyalospheniformes) is a new flagship testate amoeba taxon from Aotearoa (New Zealand)'. The Journal Of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 68 (6) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2021) | 'The testate amoebae of New Zealand: A checklist, identification key and assessment of biogeographic patterns' McKeown MM;Mitchell EAD;Amesbury MJ;Blandenier Q;Charman D;Duckert C;Roland TP;Swindles GT;Wood JR;Wilmshurst JM; (2021) 'The testate amoebae of New Zealand: A checklist, identification key and assessment of biogeographic patterns'. European journal of protistology, 81 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2021) | 'A Koronivalu kei Bua: Hillforts in Bua Province (Fiji), their Chronology, Associations, and Potential Significance' Nunn P.D.;Nakoro E.;Tokainavatu N.;McKeown M.;Geraghty P.;Thomas F.R.;Martin P.;Hourigan B.;Kumar R. (2021) 'A Koronivalu kei Bua: Hillforts in Bua Province (Fiji), their Chronology, Associations, and Potential Significance'. Journal Of Island And Coastal Archaeology, 16 (2-4):342-370 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2021) | 'Vertical distribution of prokaryotes communities and predicted metabolic pathways in New Zealand wetlands, and potential for environmental DNA indicators of wetland condition' Wood JR;Burge OR;Bolstridge N;Bonner K;Clarkson B;Cole TL;Davis C;Fergus A;King P;McKeown MM;Morse C;Richardson SJ;Robertson H;Wilmshurst JM; (2021) 'Vertical distribution of prokaryotes communities and predicted metabolic pathways in New Zealand wetlands, and potential for environmental DNA indicators of wetland condition'. Plos One, 16 (1) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2020) | 'Quantifying the effect of testate amoeba decomposition on peat-based water-table reconstructions' Swindles GT;Roland TP;Amesbury MJ;Lamentowicz M;McKeown MM;Sim TG;Fewster RE;Mitchell EAD; (2020) 'Quantifying the effect of testate amoeba decomposition on peat-based water-table reconstructions'. European journal of protistology, 74 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2019) | 'Complexities in interpreting chironomid-based temperature reconstructions over the Holocene from a lake in Western Ireland' McKeown M.M.;Caseldine C.J.;Thompson G.;Swindles G.T.;Ivanovic R.F.;Roland T.P.;Valdes P.J.;Potito A.P. (2019) 'Complexities in interpreting chironomid-based temperature reconstructions over the Holocene from a lake in Western Ireland'. Quaternary Science Reviews, 222 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2019) | 'Widespread drying of European peatlands in recent centuries' Swindles G.T.;Morris P.J.;Mullan D.J.;Payne R.J.;Roland T.P.;Amesbury M.J.;Lamentowicz M.;Turner T.E.;Gallego-Sala A.;Sim T.;Barr I.D.;Blaauw M.;Blundell A.;Chambers F.M.;Charman D.J.;Feurdean A.;Galloway J.M.;Galka M.;Green S.M.;Kajukalo K.;Karofeld E.;Korhola A.;Lamentowicz L.;Langdon P.;Marcisz K.;Mauquoy D.;Mazei Y.A.;McKeown M.M.;Mitchell E.A.D.;Novenko E.;Plunkett G.;Roe H.M.;Schoning K.;Sillasoo Ü.;Tsyganov A.N.;van der Linden M.;Väliranta M.;Warner B. (2019) 'Widespread drying of European peatlands in recent centuries'. Nature Geoscience, 12 (11):922-928 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2019) | 'Origin, development and prospects of sand islands off the north coast of Viti Levu Island, Fiji, Southwest Pacific' Nunn P.D.;McKeown M.;McCallum A.;Davies P.;John E.;Chandra R.;Thomas F.R.;Raj S.N. (2019) 'Origin, development and prospects of sand islands off the north coast of Viti Levu Island, Fiji, Southwest Pacific'. Journal Of Coastal Conservation, 23 (6):1005-1018 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2019) | 'Assessing the ecological value of small testate amoebae (<45¿µm) in New Zealand peatlands' McKeown MM;Wilmshurst JM;Duckert C;Wood JR;Mitchell EAD; (2019) 'Assessing the ecological value of small testate amoebae (<45¿µm) in New Zealand peatlands'. European journal of protistology, 68 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2016) | 'Assessing recent climatic and human influences on chironomid communities from two moderately impacted lakes in western Ireland' McKeown M.;Potito A. (2016) 'Assessing recent climatic and human influences on chironomid communities from two moderately impacted lakes in western Ireland'. Hydrobiologia, 765 (1):245-263 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2014) | 'Modern influences on chironomid distribution in western Ireland: potential for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction' Potito A.P.;Woodward C.A.;McKeown M.;Beilman D.W. (2014) 'Modern influences on chironomid distribution in western Ireland: potential for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction'. Journal of Paleolimnology, 52 (4):385-404 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2012) | 'The long-term temperature record from Markree Observatory, County Sligo, from 1842 to 2011' McKeown M.;Potito A.;Hickey K. (2012) 'The long-term temperature record from Markree Observatory, County Sligo, from 1842 to 2011'. Irish Geography, 45 (3):257-282 [DOI] [Details] |
Published Reports
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2023) | Policy Brief for An Fóram Uisce Climate Change Impacts on Ireland’s Water Resources. Triona McGrath, Michelle McKeown, Fiachra O’Loughlin (2023) Policy Brief for An Fóram Uisce Climate Change Impacts on Ireland’s Water Resources. An Fóram Uisce, Dublin. [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2022) | Addressing Projected Climate Change Risk to Water Quality in Ireland. Karen Taylor, Marcel Jansen, Jean O’Dwyer, Tim Sullivan, John Weatherill, Simon Harrison, Andre Banning & Michelle McKeown. (2022) Addressing Projected Climate Change Risk to Water Quality in Ireland. An Foram Uisce, Cork. [DOI] [Details] |
Professional Activities
Honours and Awards
| Year | Title | Awarding Body | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Best PhD Presentation | Irish Quaternary Association |
Professional Associations
| Association | Function | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Research Institute | Principal Investigator | 01-OCT-21 / |
Committees
| Committee | Function | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Committee School of BEES | Committee member | 2023 / 2023 | |
| Teaching and Learning Committee School of Geography | Committee member | 2023 / | |
| Irish Quaternary Association | Committee member | 2023 / |
Employment
| Employer | Position | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Galway | Teaching Assistant | 01-SEP-08 / 31-JAN-14 | |
| The University of the South Pacific | Lecturer | 01-JUL-14 / 30-JUL-17 | |
| Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research | Research Fellow | 01-AUG-17 / 30-SEP-20 | |
| Wallbridge Gilbert Aztec | Ecohydrologist/Wetland Scientist | 01-OCT-20 / 31-AUG-21 |
Education
| Year | Institution | Qualification | Subject | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | University of Galway | PhD | Palaeoenvironmental Research Unit | |
| 2008 | University of Galway | BA | Geography |
Outreach Activities
| Description | |
|---|---|
https://thewaterforum.ie/science-week-panel-discussion-on-the-need-to-put-water-at-the-centre-of-climate-action/ | |
I am a co-presenter in the new RTE documentary series called Heated. https://www.rte.ie/player/series/heated/10002421-00-0000?epguid=IP10002422-01-0003 |
Journal Activities
| Journal | Role | To / From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Quaternary | Co-Editor | 01-SEP-18 - |
Other Activities
| Description | |
|---|---|
Michelle co-presented the RTE series Heated in 2023. The factual series promises to delve into the implications of climate change for the people in this country – telling stories of hope, inspiration, and practical endeavor as we push to cut emissions. |
Teaching Activities
Teaching Interests
My teaching philosophy centres on the belief that students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process. As an environmental science educator, I strive to create a student-centred learning environment where my students are not just passive recipients but are actively engaged in the learning process. To achieve this goal, I use a variety of student-centred teaching approaches, such as problem-based learning, project-based learning, and inquiry-based learning. These approaches place students at the centre of the learning process, where they are encouraged to ask questions, collaborate with their peers, and critically analyse complex environmental issues. I also believe that learning should be experiential and should incorporate real-world applications of environmental science concepts. To this end, I incorporate field trips, lab activities, and case studies into my courses to provide students with hands-on experiences that connect the theoretical concepts they learn in the classroom to real-world environmental issues. In addition, I recognize that each student brings their own unique set of experiences and perspectives to the classroom. My goal is to inspire my students to become environmental scientists who are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and balanced perspective that I feel is needed to tackle the complex environmental challenges facing our society.I previously held two lectureships (University College Cork and The University of the South Pacific) and a teaching assistant position (University of Galway) where I have been fortunate to teach on a broad range of topics. I’ve coordinated modules on Freshwater Science (UCC) and Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (UCC) to Pacific Geoscience (University of the South Pacific) and Assessing our Surrounding Environment (University of Galway). As a lecturer, I have gained valuable experience, including preparing, delivering, and setting exams for undergraduate and postgraduate modules. I have coordinated over 10 different modules and been involved in teaching on a further 15 modules. Active, field-based learning are integral to my courses as it gives students the opportunity to examine the interactions between different variables in the natural environment. I have led numerous international fieldtrips throughout my career to various parts of Portugal (2022 and 2023) and Fiji Islands (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017). I have experience supervising Ph.D. and M.Sc. students through to completion and recently been a mentor for a postdoctoral researcher. I recently completed a certificate in learning and teaching in UCC and aim to incorporate my recently acquired knowledge into future modules.
Undergraduate Module Coordination
- Environmental Geography. This is a 3rd year module. University College Cork.
- Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. This is a 4th year module. University College Cork.
- Freshwater Science. This is a 3rd year module. University College Cork.
- Environmental Science in the Field. This is a 3rd year module. University College Cork.
- Environmental Work Placement. This is a 4th year module. University College Cork.
- Pacific Geoscience: This is a 3rd year module. The University of the South Pacific.
- Physical Environments of the Wet Tropics: This is a 2nd year module. The University of the South Pacific.
- Applied Geomorphology: This is a 2nd year module. This course includes a one-day fieldtrip, one lab-based practical exercise followed by student presentations. The National University of Ireland Galway.
- Assessing our Surrounding Environment: This is a 3rd year module. The National University of Ireland Galway.
- Principles of Environmental Assessment Monitoring. University College Cork.
- Environmental Change in the South Pacific. The University of the South Pacific.
Current Graduate Supervision
- Leanne O’Donoghue (PhD): Honing our Understanding of MIcrobial Diversity in tropical peatlands (HUMID). Current. Main supervisor.
- Julie O'Donovan (PhD): Temporal Assessment of Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment (TARE). Current. Co-supervisor.
- Robin Lewando (MPhil): Reconstructing climate from the Southwest of Ireland throughout the Holocene. Current. Main supervisor.
- Sunil Gopaul (MSc): Abiotic effects of the invasive alien palm Pinanga coronata in the Colo- i-Suva Forest Reserve, Fiji.
- Kunal Singh (MSc): Reconstructing Fiji’s storm history over the Holocene using sediments sourced from Lake Tagimaucia, Taveuni. Graduated.