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Director of Studies:  Professor Sarah Boulton  

3rd Supervisor: Dr Michael Whitworth, AECOM

4th Supervisor: Dr Joshua Jones, AECOM

Applications are invited for a 3.5 years PhD studentship. The studentship will start on 1 October 2026

Scientific background
Where do landslides initiate following extreme events, and what is the influence of pre-existing failures? This emerging fundamental question asks: ‘Do landslides follow landslides?’¹. Recent research using multi-temporal landslide inventories (1,2,3) challenges traditional assumptions, revealing spatial and temporal clustering of landslides across different scales (4) often triggered by earthquakes or intense rainfall events (3,5). These findings demonstrate that the rates and pattern of landsliding change through time, exerting a transient influence on the landscape and increasing the probability of subsequent and recurrent failures; processes which are currently not accounted for in most landslide susceptibility models.

Despite these insights, landscape-scale (> 100 km2) studies of recurring landslides remain limited. Terminological inconsistencies and a focus on individual landslide complexes have hindered broader understanding (2). Consequently, the relationships and potential feedbacks between extreme forcing events (e.g., earthquakes) and the temporal-spatial correlation of landslide reactivation remains poorly understood. However, the increasing availability of high-resolution satellite imagery now enables the creation of detailed large-scale, multi-temporal inventories, offering new opportunities to investigate these relationships.

This project will investigate how landscape characteristics, climate and extreme triggering events influence whether new landslides preferentially rework previously disturbed terrain, initiate in undisturbed areas, or expand from landslipped zones into adjacent stable regions. These insights will provide vital information to improve hazard modelling and mitigation strategies in vulnerable regions worldwide.

Research methodology
The researcher will combine existing landslide inventories with new remote sensing observations to build multi-year databases of landslide occurrences and control factors (i.e., slope, aspect, soil thickness). Contrasting areas of recurrent landsliding will be identified for further investigation, field and modelling investigations into the landscape-scale expression and processes causing consecutive landslides will be undertaken. 

The individual joins a team of international experts who will support through training in remote sensing and GIS, field geomorphic techniques (geomorphic mapping, TruPulse, DGPS/drone surveys), engineering geology methodologies (slope stability, rock strength assessment), coding (python/matlab data analysis and modelling) and transferable research skills.

We seek a candidate confident in undertaking fieldwork and capable of integrating data across geological disciplines. Prior experience of GIS/Remote sensing or programming is desirable.

Samia J, Temme A, Bregt A, Wallinga J, Guzzetti F, Ardizzone F, et al. Do landslides follow landslides? Insights in path dependency from a multi-temporal landslide inventory. Landslides 2017;14:547–58. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-016-0739-x.

Jones JN, Boulton SJ, Stokes M, Bennett GL, Whitworth MRZ. 30-year record of Himalaya mass-wasting reveals landscape perturbations by extreme events. Nature Communications 2021;12:1–15. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26964-8.

Roberts S, Jones JN, Boulton SJ. Characteristics of landslide path dependency revealed through multiple resolution landslide inventories in the Nepal Himalaya. Geomorphology 2021;390:107868. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2021.107868.

Temme A, Guzzetti F, Samia J, Mirus BB. The future of landslides’ past—a framework for assessing consecutive landsliding systems. Landslides 2020;17:1519–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-020-01405-7.

Jones JN, Boulton SJ, Bennett GL, Stokes M, Whitworth MRZ. Temporal Variations in Landslide Distributions Following Extreme Events: Implications for Landslide Susceptibility Modeling. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 2021;126:1–26. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JF006067.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum English requirements for the programme, IELTS Academic score of 6.5 (with no less than 5.5 in each component test area) or equivalent.  

Successful candidates who meet UKRI’s eligibility criteria will be awarded a fully-funded ARIES studentship of fees, maintenance stipend, £20,780 p.a. for 2025/26 (2026/27 rate TBC) and research costs. 

A limited number of ARIES studentships are available to International applicants. Please note however that ARIES funding does not cover additional costs associated with relocation to, and living in, the UK.

NB: The studentship is supported for 3.5 years of the four-year registration period. The subsequent 6 months of registration is a self-funded ‘writing-up’ period. 

ARIES is committed to in all areas of its operation. We encourage applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, and transgender status. Projects have been developed with consideration of a safe, inclusive, and appropriate research and fieldwork environment. Academic qualifications are considered alongside non-academic experience, with equal weighting given to experience and potential. 

For further information, please visit

If you wish to discuss this project further informally, please contact  Professor Sarah Boulton .

Please see our apply for a postgraduate research programme page for a list of supporting documents to upload with your application. 

For more information on the admissions process generally, please visit our apply for a postgraduate research programme page or contact the Doctoral College .

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview after the deadline. We regret that we may not be able to respond to all applications. Applicants who have not received a response within six weeks of the closing date should consider their application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.