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You are in:  Home » Staff and students » Postgraduate students » Allen Pope

Allen Pope B.A. (Hons), M.Phil.

PhD Student

Allen's research is based on using remotely sensed data (LiDAR, ATM, Landsat, etc.) to monitor the dynamics and mass balance of glaciers, icecaps, and ice sheets.

Biography

Originally from Newton, MA (USA), through a love of the outdoors and some fortuitous travelling, Allen came to develop a fascination with glaciers and all things polar. Allen studied Chemistry and Earth & Planetary Sciences (with a citation in French Language) at Harvard University from 2004 until 2008; for a summer field course, he participated as a student researcher on the Juneau Icefield Research Program 2007. After completing his undergraduate degree, he moved to Cambridge, England in October 2009 to begin SPRI's MPhil in Polar Studies funded by Trinity College's Eben Fiske Studentship and has remained at SPRI for a PhD. His work is supported by a US National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

Allen has participated in field research in locations such as New England (structural geology), Southeast Alaska's Juneau Icefield (GPS surveys, mass balance), Namibia (carbonate geology, Snowball Earth), and Antarctica's Dry Valleys (cosmogenic nuclide analysis). With a diverse research background, Allen's current research focuses on remote sensing of the cryosphere.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge (Trinity College), UK (2009-present)
• M.Phil. in Polar Studies, Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge (Trinity College), UK (2009)
• B.A. (Magna cum laude) in Chemistry (High Honors) and Earth & Planetary Sciences (Highest Honors) with a foreign language citation in French, Harvard University (Adams House), USA (2008)

Research

My PhD research is focused on taking advantage of the increased spatial and spectral resolution of the Airborne Thematic Mapper (ATM) relative to Landsat ETM+ imagery in order to develop a more effective method for remote sensing of glacier facies to serve as a proxy for mass balance. Field research collecting in situ reflectance of various glacial surfaces with a field spectroradiometer (July-August 2010; see our fieldwork blog) in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard and Langjökull, Iceland is a crucial component. I also have a polar-related Twitter feed @PopePolar.

Ongoing research begun during my MPhil is centred on using photoclinometry to interpolate an incomplete LiDAR survey of Langjökull Icecap, Iceland and using the resulting data set to investigate how the icecap has evolved over the last decade. Findings included a revised mass balance of the icecap, visualization of a recent surge of outlet Hagafellsjökull Eystri, and potential clues as to the future behaviour of the icecap.

Broad research interests:

• Remote sensing of the cryosphere
• Present-day behaviour of the glaciers and icecaps
• Ice-climate interactions, including developing glacial hazards
• Mass balance measurement and glacier monitoring techniques

Specific research themes:

• Integrating high-resolution multispectral and topographic data
• Multispectral classification of glacier facies
• Remotely sensed geodetic mass balance
• Air/spaceborne glacier mass balance proxies

Publications

Selected publications and presentations

• Pope, A., (In Press). Book Review: Repeat Photography. Journal of Glaciology.
• Pope, A., Willis, I.C., Rees, W.G., Arnold, N.S., and F. Palssson, (In Press). Combining airborne LiDAR and Landsat ETM+ data with photoclinometry to produce a digital elevation model for Langjokull, Iceland. International Journal of Remote Sensing.
• Pope, A., Rees, W.G., Willis, I.C., and Arnold, N.S., 2011. Comparing in situ Spectra and Multispectral Classifications of Glacier Surfaces, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California.
• Weeks, S. and A. Pope, 2011. The Cool Club: Creating engaging, experimental, and creative encounters between young mins and polar researchers, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California.
• Baeseman, J, and A. Pope, 2011. APECS: Nurturing a new generation of polar researchers. Oceanography 24(3):219.
• Pope, A. and J. Hall, 2011. Cryospheric and Remote Sensing Workshop and Summer School. Sensed - The RSPSoc Newsletter 24:18-20.
• Pope, A., (In Press). Book Review: Glossary of Glacier Mass Balance and Related Terms. Polar Record.
  
• Pope, A. and W.G. Rees, 2010. Characterisation of glacier facies with the Airborne Thematic Mapper, 11th International Circumpolar Remote Sensing Symposium, Scott Polar Research Institute.

• Early Career Stipend Recipient:
  Pope, A., Rees, W.G., Willis, I.C., Arnold, N.S., Pálsson, F., and R. Hodgkins, 2010. Recent Changes to Langökull, Iceland: Integrating airborne LiDAR and satellite imagery, International Polar Year Oslo Science Conference, Oslo.
• Awarded John Glen Prize for Best Student Poster:
  Pope, A., Rees, W.G., Willis, I.C., Arnold, N.S., Pálsson, F., and R. Hodgkins, 2009. Recent Changes to Langökull, Iceland: Integrating airborne LiDAR and satellite imagery, International Glaciological Society 34^th Annual British Branch Meeting, University of Sheffield.
• Karlsson, N.B., Pope, A., Hall, J., Jones, L., Atkinson, H., Renner, A., Thomas, L., Banwell, A., Gravelle, R., Irvine, E., Hendry, K., Gray, T., Henley, S., and S. Torres, 2009. Introduction to the UKPN and its activities, International Glaciological Society 34^th Annual British Branch Meeting, University of Sheffield.
• Pope, A., (2009). Recent Changes to Langjökull Icecap, Iceland: An investigation integrating airborne LiDAR and satellite imagery, M.Phil. Thesis, University of Cambridge.
• Pope, A., (2008). Exposure dating with Exposure dating with ²¹Ne and its application to Antarctic ice sheet history, B.A. (Honors) Thesis, Harvard University.

Teaching

• Supervisor, Cambridge University, Part 1b Geography Tripos
• Lecturer, Reach Cambridge (2010), Physical Geography
• Education and Outreach Speaker, UK Polar Network (2009-present), Polar field sciences
• Peer Tutor, Harvard University (2005-2008), Chemistry, Earth Sciences, French

External activities

• Theme Coordinator: NERC Earth Observation Technology Cluster (2010-2012)
• Vice-President, Polar Decade representative: Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (2011-present)
• President: Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (2010-2011)
• Vice President, Council Member, and Field Schools Coordinator: Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (2009-2010)
• Committee Member: United Kingdom Polar Network (2009-present)
• Organizer: 11^th International Circumpolar Remote Sensing Symposium, September 2010. Cambridge, UK.
• Session Co-convener: "Adventures in the field: Impacts of field programs for students, teachers, artists, writers and others" at the IPY Oslo Science Conference, June 2010. Oslo, Norway.
• Organizer: UKPN Cryospheric Sciences Workshop, November 2009. Sheffield, UK.
• Men's Lower Boats Captain: 1^st & 3^rd Trinity Boat Club (2009-2010)