Dr Amber Leeson
Reader in GlaciologyResearch Overview
Amber is a glaciologist and her main research interest is the impact of climate change on the Greenland and Antarctic Ice sheets. She is an expert in ice sheet surface processes and uses numerical modelling, remote sensing and data science tools to understand their role in the ice sheet system in the current climate, and how this might change in a future, warming, world.
Current Research
Current research projects are themed around three main areas:
- Ice sheet surface climate and it's representation in models.
- Supraglacial hydrology and it's impact on ice sheet dynamics.
- Firn and it's evolution in the past, present and future.
These are synthesised in work around digital twinning of the ice sheets and data science approaches to modelling ice sheet change.
External Roles
Amber has previously been the treasurer for the UK Polar Network, a member of the American Geosciences Union (AGU) Cryosphere Committee, early career representative to the UK National Committee for Antarctic Research (UKNCAR) and Associate Editor for the Journal of Geophysical Research (Earth Surface). She is currently:
- Treasurer of the International Glaciological Society
- Secretary of the International Glaciological Society British Branch
Current Teaching
Amber teaches on LEC321 Glacial Systems, LEC103 Environmental Processes and Systems and LEC378 Global Change in the Earth System. She also supervises undergaduate and masters dissertations in Polar Science.
Professional Role
Amber is currently Associate Director for Research in Lancaster Environment Centre.
She has previously been:
Senior Admissions Tutor for our Environmental and Earth Sciences degrees
Theme Lead for Environment in the Data Science Institute (DSI)
Co-theme Lead for Ice and Water in the Centre for Excellence in Environmental Data Science (CEEDS)
DSI: Arctic Extremes (ARCTEX)
01/01/2025 → 31/12/2026
Research
DSI: 5D Antarctica (5DAIS)
27/11/2024 → 26/11/2027
Research
DSI: DTC Ice Sheets
13/11/2024 → 12/11/2026
Research
DSI: AI Forecasting for Ice Shelf Collapse (AI4IS)
06/02/2024 → 05/02/2026
Research
DSI: PICANTE – Processes, Impacts, and Changes of ANTarctic Extreme weather
01/02/2024 → 31/10/2027
Research
Seeing in the dark: evolution of supraglacial lakes on the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets during polar night.
01/01/2024 → 30/06/2027
Research
DSI: 4D Greenland CCN1
23/11/2022 → 22/05/2024
Research
DSI: Envision: Assessing the Contribution of Antarctic Peninsula Glaciers to Global Sea Level Rise
01/10/2022 → 31/03/2026
Research
DSI: Antarctica4d. (additional funding)
31/03/2022 → 30/03/2023
Research
DSI: 4DGreenland
19/11/2020 → 18/11/2022
Research
Future Places: A Digital Economy Centre on Understanding Place Through Pervasive Computing
01/10/2020 → 28/02/2026
Research
DSI: Antarctica4d - supplement
15/09/2020 → 14/09/2021
Research
DSI: Earth Observation 4 Surface Mass Balance
01/09/2020 → 31/12/2024
Research
DSI: Antarctica4d
15/11/2019 → 15/10/2022
Research
Meltwater Ice-sheet Interactions and the changing climate of Greenland (MII-Greenland)
16/09/2019 → 15/05/2023
Research
DSI: Data Science of the Natural Environment
16/04/2018 → 15/04/2024
Research
ReCoVER : Advanced Data Clustering for Climate Science Applications
02/06/2017 → 12/03/2018
Research
Centre of Excellence in Environmental Data Science
Centre of Excellence in Environmental Data Science
Centre of Excellence in Environmental Data Science
Centre of Excellence in Environmental Data Science
- Centre of Excellence in Environmental Data Science
- DSI - Environment
- Geospatial Data Science