Skip to main content
James Cooper

Professor James Cooper
BSc (Hons), PhD, FHEA

Faculty Director of Postgraduate Research for Science & Engineering
Geography and Planning

Contact

James.Cooper@liverpool.ac.uk

+44 (0)151 794 2852

About

Professor of Hydrology: My expertise lies in monitoring and forecasting environmental hazards within fluvial, hillslope and estuarine environments. A major focus of my work is the assessment of the climate resilience of critical infrastructure to these hazards, working with stakeholders to forecast weather-related risk and advise on mitigation. My more fundamental research focuses on the mechanics of flooding, erosion and the transport of contaminated sediment.

I work across the environmental science-civil engineering interface, having a mixed background in Geography (BSc) and Civil Engineering (PhD). I have previously worked as a PDRA at Sheffield, an ARCO Research Fellow in Environmental Fluid Dynamics at Hull and a Lecturer in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Bradford. I was Chair of the UK Chapter of the International Association of Hydro-Environment Engineering & Research.

I am Faculty Director of Postgraduate Research, providing academic leadership across four Schools within the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and Chair of the Faculty PGR Committee.

I was School Director of Education leading on education provision across two departments and five disciplines, and Chair of the School Education Committee and School Board of Studies.

I have strong interests in digital learning and authentic assessment, having received a University Learning and Teaching Fellowship, a University Sir Alastair Pilkington Award for Teaching Excellence, and two Faculty Learning and Teaching Awards.

Prizes or Honours

  • Honorary Research Fellowship (National Tsing Hua University, 2020)
  • University Learning and Teaching Fellowship (Univesity of Liverpool, 2018)
  • Sir Alastair Pilkington Award for Teaching Excellence (University of Liverpool, 2018)
  • Commendation for ‘University Lecturer of the Year’ (University of Liverpool, 2018)
  • Awarded 'Outstanding reviewer' (Geomorphology journal, 2018)
  • Chair of UK Chapter (International Association of Hydro-Environment Engineering & Research, 2018)
  • Awarded 'Outstanding reviewer' (Journal of Hydrology, 2018)
  • Faculty Learning and Teaching Award (University of Liverpool, 2018)
  • Honorary Research Fellowship (National Tsing Hua University, 2018)
  • Vice-chair of UK Chapter (International Association of Hydro-Environment Engineering & Research, 2017)
  • Honorary Research Fellowship (National Tsing Hua University, 2017)
  • Awarded 'Outstanding reviewer' (Geomorphology journal, 2017)
  • Awarded 'Outstanding reviewer' (Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 2017)
  • Honorary Research Fellowship (National Tsing Hua University, 2016)
  • Awarded 'Outstanding reviewer' (Geomorphology journal, 2015)
  • Visting Professor Fellowship (University of Tsukuba, Japan, 2014)
  • Faculty Learning and Teaching Award (University of Liverpool, 2013)
  • Visiting Professor at University of Padova (University of Padova, Italy, 2011)

Funded Fellowships

  • Visting Professor at University of Tsukuba (University of Tsukuba, 2024)
  • Visting Professor at University of Tsukuba (University of Tsukuba, 2023)
  • Visting Professor at University of Tsukuba (2022)
  • Visiting Professor at University of Tsukuba (European Commission, 2016)
  • Visiting Professor at University of Tsukuba (2014)
  • Visiting Professor at University of Padova (2011)
  • ARCO Research Fellowship in Environmental Fluid Dynamics (2005 - 2009)