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Staff Profile

Professor Stuart Edwards

Dean of Global & Education Development

  • Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 5962
  • Address: School of Engineering
    Room 3.14
    Cassie Building
    Newcastle University
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    NE1 7RU
Background

Introduction 

Having returned from my role as Dean & CEO NUIS (Singapore), I'm now working as Dean for Global and Education Development, Faculty of Science Agriculture and Engineering (SAgE). In this role my focus is on the strategic development of our taught programmes (Undergraduate and Postgraduate) with a strong focus on developing wider international education partnerships. I am a member of SAgE Faculty Executive Board, and lead the Faculty Education Development Group. I also represent SAgE faculty on numerous University Committees including University Global Committee working closely with PVC Global and the International office. My home school is the School of Engineering where I am a professor of Engineering Education and lecturing and researching in the area of Geospatial Engineering. My discipline related research interests focus on Engineering Geodesy and in particular low-cost systems for precise monitoring of engineering structures and Earth processes (including ice-mass balance in Greenland), GNSS quality indicators and satellite altimetry. My career commenced with 11 years in industry where I was heavily involved in the development and application of GNSS based survey methodologies applied to open-pit mining. Switching to academia in 1994, my teaching and research now span 30 years and have focused on geospatial engineering related topics where I have promoted the use of digital pedagogies to support student learning and enhance the student/staff experience. I'm passionate about higher-education and have represented the university at numerous high-profile education conferences, UK and Singapore.


Areas of expertise: GNSS, GPS, Engineering Geodesy

Roles and Responsibilities

  • Dean of Global and Education Development Jan 2024 -
  • Dean & CEO NUIS (Singapore) Aug 2021 - Dec 2023
  • Acting PVC SAgE (March - June 2021)
  • Dean Education: Faculty of Science Agriculture and Engineering (Jan 2018 - present)
  • Dean of Undergraduate Studies: Faculty of Science Agriculture and Engineering (Feb 2015 - Dec 2017 )
  • Dean of Postgraduate Studies: Faculty of Science Agriculture and Engineering (Nov 2013 - Dec 2014)
  • Director of Undergraduate Studies for the School (2008 - Nov 2013)
  • Chair of School Teaching and Learning Committee (2008 - Nov 2013)
  • School representative on Faculty Teaching, Learning and Student Experience Committee (FTLSEC) (2008 - 2013 )
  • Vice Chair: Geospatial Engineering Board of Examiners, (2005 - 2014)

Qualifications

  • PhD Geomatics, Newcastle University (2006)
  • BSc (Hons) Topographic Science and Geography, II(i), Swansea University, (1985)
  • Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Newcastle University (1997)

Previous Positions

  • Royal Academy of Engineering Industrial Secondment Scheme - Fugro Intersite B.V., Netherlands (2012) 
  • Visiting Fellow, (Sabbatical), Department of Surveying, Otago University, New Zealand (2009)
  • Senior Surveyor, British Coal Opencast, Northern Region (1991 - 1994)
  • Land Survey (Various grades), British Coal Opencast, Northern and Central Regions (1985 - 1991) 

Memberships

  • Fellow, Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES) (2007 - present)
  • Fellow, Higher Education Academy (formerly ILTHE) (2001 - present)
  • Member, American Geophysical Union (2000 - present)
  • Member, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) (1994 - present)

Industrial Relevance

Chartered Surveyor with over 25 years experience in geospatial techniques for engineering applications and the use of high precision GPS/GNSS. Led a wide range of GPS/GNSS related consultancies for International and National organisations including Shell UK, BP, Fugro UDI, Guyana and Philippines National Mapping Agencies, and the UK's Environment Agency. On-going/completed projects include: precise subsidence monitoring of off-shore oil/gas installations, first-order GPS network design for flood-level studies, on-shore oil-field subsidence monitoring.

Informal Interests

Independent travel (China by train, Turkey by bus, Spain by motorcycle, Norway on foot!); Mountain hiking (Swiss Alps, French Alps, Italian Dolomites, Austrian Alps); Mountain biking and Running (Trail/Road).

Google Scholar

Teaching

Undergraduate/Postgraduate Teaching

Undergraduate programmes in geomatics, civil engineering and physical geography.

Module leader

CEG3710: Offshore Surveying (10 credits)

Contributor

CEG1711: Tutorial module (10 credits)
CEG3799: Research Project (30 credits) 
MAR8049: Subsea Surveying (10 credits)

Research

Research site: Geodesy

Research Interests

Precise GPS (GNSS) engineering geodesy for monitoring applications: landslide/engineering deformation; low-cost GNSS sensor networks; real-time GNSS quality indicators; coastal change detection; precise point positioning; tropospheric delay estimation; ocean tide loading; improvement of GNSS height coordinate determination for precise monitoring.

Current Work

Low-cost GNSS sensor networks for glacier tracking in Greenland.

Application of inSAR for Dam/Structure deformation

Calibration/validation of altimetric satellite microwave radiometers.

Verification of vertical datums across mapping agencies.
Precise GPS positioning for oilfield subsidence monitoring.
Improved quality indicators for Precise Point Positioning in the Offshore sector.
Kalman filter itegration of Geodetic and Geophycial data for landslide prediction.

Postgraduate Supervision

  • Mohammed Assiadi (Stage 4 PhD): GPS for structural deformation monitoring [lead-supervisor]
  • Matthew Goode (Stage 4 PhD): Improved quality intidactors for PPP in the Offshore sector [lead-supervisor]
  • Nadim Dayoub (PhD 2010): The Gauss-Listing geopotential value (W0) and its rate from altimetric mean sea level and GRACE [co-supervisor]
  • Ahmed Ragheb (PhD 2008): Filtered and semi-continuous single epoch GPS for deformation monitoring [co-supervisor]
  • Pauline Miller (PhD 2007): A robust surface matching technique for coastal geohazard monitoring [co-supervisor]
  • Craig Allinson (PhD 2005): Ocean tide loading in the British Isles from GPS observations [co-supervisor]
  • Jamal Gledan (PhD 2004): Development of low cost GPS strategies for deformation monitoring [lead-supervisor]
  • Ravi Gunasingam (MPhil 2003): Single-epoch ambiguity resolution using low-cost GPS receivers [co-supervisor]

Esteem Indicators

  • Invited Key-note: Network RTK evaluation, Dublin Institute of Technology  (2010)
  • Member: NERC Space Geodesy Facility Steering Committee (2007 - 2010)
  • Chair: RICS Geomatics Faculty Group Board, (2009 - Date)
  • Member: NERC Space Geodesy Facility Steering Committee (2007 - 2010)
  • Member: Survey Review Editorial Board (2006 - Date)
  • Member: RICS Geomatics Faculty Executive Board (2005 - 2009)
  • ICES invited seminars (x2), University of Glasgow (Jan and Feb 2005)
  • UK delegate to FIG commission 5 (Positioning), (1998 - 2002)

Funding

UK Natural Environment Research Council: 
Networks of Sensors (PI, 2010-2013).
Elastic and Inelastic Ocean Tide Loading Response in the British Isles from Long-term GPS Observations (Co-I, 2001-2004).

UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council:
Towards a Real-Time Tide Gauge System Through Integration of Gravity Sensors with a high accuracy GNSS/INS surface position (Co-I, 2003-2006).

What on Earth? Geomatics.org.uk - promoting the exciting world of Geomatics to Schools and Colleges (C0-I, 2006-2009).

Synergy of GPS, digital photogrammetry and InSAR for coastal zone monitoring (Co-I, 2000-2003).
Auto - bahn: Towards Millimetre Accurate Real - Time Positioning From GNSS (Co-I, 2005-2007).

European Commission:
LESSLOSS: Risk mitigation for earthquakes and landslides (PI, 2004-2007). 

Industrial sponsored research and consultancy:

Subsidence monitoring at Wytch Farm oil field, Dorset (BP; PI, 2002, 2004, 2006; Co-I 2010).

Review of Network RTK performance in Great Britain (Ordnance Survey, The Survey Association, Trimble Navigation, Leica Geosystems, Royal Instituction of Chartered Surveyors, PI, 2007-2008)
Permanent GPS Monitoring of Shah Deniz Platform, Caspian Sea (Fugro Survey / BP; Co-I, 2005-2012).
RAEng Industrial Secondment (PI, commencing 2012)
New quality control procedures for Precise Point Positioning (Fugro Suvey GmbH, PI, 2009-2011)
RAEng Travel grant (PI, 2009)

Continuing Professional Development (CPD):

Developed CPD courses in;
(i) Advanced Least Squares analysis for the offshore industry (PI, In partnership with Fugro Survey GmbH).
(ii) Precise GPS Positioning using Continually Operating Reference Stations (PI, In partnership with Leica Geosystems).
(iii) Understanding Network RTK in the UK (PI, In partnership with Ordnance Survey).

Publications