University of Liverpool

28th - 30th June 2011

Extreme events: shaping the surface of the Earth

Logistics and arrivals: The conference kicks off on Tuesday 28th June at 10 am with registration and the first speaker at 10.50 am. The conference venue is the Eleanor Rathbone Building (Lecture Theatre), next to the Roxby Building and building 106 on the Campus Maps. All events will take place in the Eleanor Rathbone Building. See the Campus Map.

Context: Extreme events provide some of the most evocative images of geomorphology in action, they contribute to shaping the surface of the Earth and often threaten people's lives, livelihoods and their communities. Wolman and Miller in 1960 provoked a debate that continues today over 'Magnitude - Frequency' in earth surface processes. The catastrophic flood, eruption or storm is a memorable often tragic event, but is it a more significant agent of change than more frequent and more moderately sized events? These questions permeate our understanding of earth surface processes and landform development or evolution in environmental systems across the globe, for example our shrinking glacial landscapes, mountain regions and hillslopes, temperate river systems, at our coasts and in arid lands. The British Society for Geomorphology (BSG) Annual Conference is a three day conference that will explore these issues addressing the importance of 'Extreme events in shaping the surface of the Earth'.

The BSG invites contributions (oral and poster presentations) from academic and professional geomorphologists. Postgraduate scientists are particularly encouraged to contribute and will benefit from reduced rates for registration. The conference theme is broad in scope covering and welcoming contributions for all earth surface environments, with the following topics defining and not restricting the scope:-

• Extreme events on the Earth surface

• A dripping tap: the long haul in evolution of the earth surface

• Magnitude and frequency in earth surface processes

• Simulation and prediction: coping with extremes

• Hazards: society adjusting to extreme

Postgraduate support: Reduced rates for conference attendance for BSG postgraduate members are available @£25. The BSG is also offering the first non-local 20 postgraduate members who submit an abstract (oral/poster) £100 towards travel and accommodation costs. Get your abstract in early!

Geomorphology for Schools: The BSG encourages contributions and welcomes registrations (teachers) for the afternoon sessions. The BSG has commissioned four resource packs for GCE and GCSE level educators. These Resource packs will be launched via the BSG website with invited presentations from the authors and practical demonstration sessions in the conference programme 16-17.00 in the Tuesday and Wednesday programmes. The content for these sessions is being developed in co-operation with the Geographical Association (Northwest England) and Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).

1. Tom Coulthard ~ The Hull Floods of 2007. 

2. Stuart McLelland ~ Tectonics and earth surface processes. 

3. Andy Plater ~ Coastal Processes and Geomorphology

Free attendance for conference attendance for Teachers to attend the education sessions and a Certificate of Attendance available for Professional Development purposes. If you intend attending the wider event the Postgraduate rate applies. Please register to help the conference organisers with logistics.  

Organising Committee: Richard Chiverrell, Andrew Plater, Janet Hooke and Andreas Lang