Helen Roe

Helen Roe is a Professor at the School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen's University Belfast, with an adjunct appointment as Research Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University. Her work spans interdisciplinary research in environmental geoscience, focusing on late Quaternary environmental change reconstruction.

• Internal Roles: QUB PLANET Group Lead (2022-), Deputy Director, Queen's Centre of Canadian Studies (2016-), Director of Research (2014-2016)
• External Roles: Adjunct Research Professor (Carleton University, 2004-), Royal Irish Academy Climate Change Committee (2018-), Quaternary Research Association Honorary Secretary (2018-2022)

Research Themes center on coastal and wetland systems, utilizing benthic protozoans and diatoms for biomonitoring, paleoclimatology via multi-proxy techniques, and climate-sea-level change interactions. Her work supports UN Sustainable Development Goals for climate action and life on land.

Recent Publications (2022-2025) highlight storm impact detection in lake sediments, peatland restoration feedbacks, and cyanobacterial blooms in shallow lakes under climate variability.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Sustained Excellence in Teaching Award (QUB, 2018)
  • James M. Flaherty Visiting Professor (2018-19)
  • Association of Canadian Studies Bursary (2018)
  • British Ecological Society Keynote (2003)

Leadership & Collaboration: Co-lead of NERC QUADRAT DTP (2019-2020), organizer of international symposia (ISTA9, INQUA 2019), and advisor for 200+ research outputs. Her work involves partnerships across Canada, Brazil, and Europe.