Alissa Flatley

Dr. Alissa Flatley is a Lecturer in Physical Geography at UNSW Canberra within the School of Science. Her research focuses on the interaction and management between human-physical systems, with expertise in geomorphology, remote sensing, and geochronological techniques.

Dr. Flatley completed her PhD in 2022 at the University of Melbourne, where her research examined the geomorphology of small arid zone streams in the Eastern Pilbara, Western Australia, and implications for mining river relocation designs. After her PhD, she worked as a senior tutor, then associate lecturer and research assistant at the University of Melbourne, supporting research projects in cosmogenic isotope analysis and optically stimulated luminescence of Quaternary materials. Following a brief period in Wales, she joined UNSW Canberra in early 2025.

Dr. Flatley integrates novel geomorphic techniques with remote sensing and GIS mapping to address issues relating to past Quaternary environments and anthropogenically driven environmental change. Her research applies geochronological techniques to understand the interaction between human-physical systems and landscape processes at various timescales. During her PhD, she was an AINSE scholar, conducting landscape research in dryland environments using cosmogenic isotope dating at ANSTO, Australia.

Her research publications span geomorphology, hydrology, and environmental science, with a focus on arid environments, river systems, and mining impacts. Her work frequently addresses the Pilbara region of Western Australia, examining sediment dynamics, landscape change processes, and geomorphic reference criteria for river diversions around mine sites.

• AINSE scholar

Dr. Flatley supervises postgraduate students interested in geography, fluvial geomorphology, remote sensing, catchment management, and geochronology. She welcomes potential project enquiries for Masters by Research or PhD programs at UNSW Canberra in areas including applied geomorphology, dryland geomorphology, and river diversion dynamics.

She teaches Geography 1A (ZPEM1201), Geography 1B (ZPEM1202), Environmental Hazards (ZPEM3204), and Geographic Research Methods (ZPEM3208) at UNSW Canberra.