Professor Joanna Bullard

PhD (Sheffield)

  • Professor of Physical Geography
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Joanna Bullard

Academic Career

2021: EGU Ralph Alger Bagnold Medal
2018: Fellow of the British Society for Geomorphology
2016: Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
2014-2022: Associate Dean (Teaching).
2014: º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Research-Informed Teaching Prize.
2011 onwards: Professor of Physical Geography, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ.
2006: º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Teaching Prize.
2004-2016: Adjunct Professor in Atmospheric Research, Griffith University, Australia.
2004: Philip Leverhulme Prize (Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences). 
2004: Gordon Warwick Award (British Society for Geomorphology).

Professional Responsibilities

2019-2022: Member RGS-IBG Professional Advisory Group
2017-2020 Member RGS-IBG Council (Expeditions and Fieldwork)
2016-2020 Chair, RGS-IBG Geography Programmes Accreditation Panel
2014-2016 President, International Society for Aeolian Research.
2014-2016 Chair, British Society for Geomorphology.
2013-2014 Vice-Chair, British Society for Geomorphology. 
2010-2014 President-Elect, International Society for Aeolian Research. 
2008-2013 Associate Editor, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. 
2006-2013- Physical Geography Editor, RGS-IBG Book Series. 
2004 onwards: Editorial Board Member, Geomorphology.

Joanna Bullard’s research focuses on aeolian processes, landforms and sediments in both dryland and coastal environments. It contributes to debates concerning, and our understanding of, the responses of arid and coastal aeolian systems to climate fluctuations and the potential importance of aeolian processes in global biogeochemical cycles. Recent research projects have focused on the identification of sub-basin scale aeolian dust sources using remote sensing imagery, and coastal dune development and geomorphology on the UK North Sea coast. 

Joanna is currently working on two main research themes.  First, she is researching the sources, transport, distribution and impacts of dust generated within the high latitudes (defined as ≥50°N and ≥40°S). This involves collaboration with colleagues specialising in remote sensing and modelling of dust emissions, and also involved a series of major field campaigns in Iceland (2015-16) and Greenland (2017-2019) to determine dust emission processes and the impact of dust inputs to Arctic lakes and soils.

The second theme concerns the entrainment, transport and breakdown of microplastics during aeolian processes.  This project combines small-scale laboratory experiments and materials analysis with a series of wind tunnel experiments. 

Joanna teaches physical geography at levels 4-7.  This includes the introductory Quantitative Methods for Geographers, second year Earth Surface Processes and Landforms and specialist topics such as aeolian processes and landforms. She runs the final year dryland environments fieldtrip which currently takes place in Namibia.

Current Postgraduate Research Students

  • Sam Poxon: “Multi-scale environmental remote sensing for understanding dust in the high latitudes”
  • Annie Dowse: "Production, entrainment and transport of microplastics in coastal areas"
  • Alex Hall: "Arctic dust from above and below: estimating the unseen contributions of northern high latitude dust sources"

Recent Postgraduate Research Students

  • Maud Van Soest (2021) "The relative importance of soil-forming processes vs dust inputs under changing climate conditions in Kangerlussuaq, South West Greenland"
  • Tom Mockford (2018) "Sources, drivers and sedimentology of Icelandic dust events"
  • Helena Stewart (2016) "Peat’s secret archive: reconstructing the North Atlantic storm frequency and volcanic eruption history of the last 10,000 years"
  • Bullard J.E., Prater, C., Baddock, M.C., Anderson, N.J. 2023.  Diurnal and seasonal source-proximal dust concentrations in complex terrain, West Greenland.  Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. doi:10.1002/esp.5661
  • Bullard, J.E., Zhou, X., Davis, S., Fowler, S. 2023. Breakdown and modification of microplastic beads by aeolian abrasion.  Environmental Science & Technology, 57, 1, 76-84.  https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c05396
  • Stewart, H., Bradwell, T., Bullard, J.E., McCulloch, R., Millar, I. 2023. Increased North Atlantic dust deposition linked to Holocene Icelandic glacier fluctuations.  The Holocene, 33(2), p.231-237.  doi: 10.1177/09596836221131697.
  • Van Soest, M.A.J., Bullard, J.E., Prater, M.C., Baddock, M.C., Anderson, N.J. 2022. Annual and seasonal variability in high latitude dust deposition, West Greenland.  Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.  doi:10.1002/esp5384.
  • Bullard, J.E., Strong, C.L., Aubault, H.A.P. 2022. Cyanobacterial soil crust responses to rainfall and effects on wind erosion in a semiarid environment, Australia: implications for landscape stability.  Journal of Geophysical Research – Biogeosciences, 127, e202IJG006652, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JG006652.
  • Bullard, J.E., Ockelford, A., O’Brien, P., McKenna Neuman, C. 2021. Preferential transport of microplastics by wind. Atmospheric Environment, 245, 118038. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2020.118038
  • Elliott, D.R., Thomas, T.D., Strong, C.L., Aubault, H.A., McTainsh, G.H., Bullard, J.E. 2019. Surface stability in drylands is influenced by dispersal strategy of soil bacteria.  Journal of Geophysical Research - Biogeosciences.  124, 3403-3418. Doi: 10.1029/2018JG004932.
  • Saros, J.E., Anderson, N.J., Juggins, S., Mcgowan, S., Yde, J.C., Telling, J., Bullard, J.E., Yallop, M.L., Heathcote, A.J., Burpee, B.T., Fowler, R.A., Barry, C.D., Northington, R.M., Osburn, C.L., Pla-Rabes, S., Mernild, S.H., Whiteford, E.J., Andrews, M.G., Kerby, J.T., Post, E. 2019. Arctic climate shifts drive rapid ecosystem responses across the West Greenland landscape.  Environmental Research Letters. 14, 7, doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/ab2928.