I am an engineering geologist and landslide specialist in the BGS Multi-Hazards and Resilience team. I am particularly interested in the use of different technologies and data streams to obtain information about landslides and other hazards in real time and at all spatial scales to advance landslide process understanding, situational awareness and model validation. I work in multidisciplinary, collaborative teams exploring innovative technologies, such as Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, to monitor individual landslides as they move. At the global scale, I work with partners to extract relevant, real-time hazard information from social media and the news.
I have worked on a range of other projects that have typically involved both leading and working on office- and field-based campaigns both inland and at the coast. These include the National Landslide Database, regional landslide mapping surveys and various commercial projects providing bespoke assessments to national organisations. I am also part of the team that issues Daily Landslide Hazard Assessments for the Natural Hazards Partnership in the UK.
Please see the publications tab for references. In addition to this, I have an interest in science communication projects and have published over 85 web pages, blog posts and other popular and educational articles to date. I also maintain the social media communication channels the BGS Landslides Team uses for research: X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky.
Catherine Pennington’s biography
- 2001 to present: Engineering geologist and landslides specialist, British Geological Survey
- 2023 to present: CHAMFER project
- 2022 to present: leading the development of global scale, real-time landslide data acquisition from social sensors
- 2022 to present: task lead in the use of Internet of Things (IoT) technology for monitoring coastal landslides for The HuT EU Horizon project
- 2012 to present: Daily Hazard Assessments for the potential for landslides to occur in the UK for the Natural Hazards Partnership in association with the Met Office
- 2021 to 2022: Co-I WPX 5G RuralDorset Coastal landslide monitoring for process understanding using NB-IoT technology
- 2018 to 2023: Project lead for BGS Coastal Landslide Observatory
- 2014 to 2019: Science writer/editor for BGS Blog, GeoBlogy
- 2010 to 2011: Project lead for Regional Landslide Assessment for North York Moors
- 2006 to 2015: Deputy project lead for BGS Landslides Project
- 2003 to 2015: Project leader for the BGS National Landslide Database and GIS of Great Britain
- 2003 to 2004: Project lead for an assessment of the geotechnical properties for the Thames Flood Defences
- 2000 to 2001: Geotechnical engineer, Hyder Consulting Ltd and WS Atkins
- Fellow of the Geological Society of London
Research interests
- Global scale, real-time hazard data acquisition from social sensors: extracting relevant information about hazards from social media and the news – coming soon!
- Long-term monitoring of landslides, coastal landslide observatories: advancing long-term landslide process understanding using a range of technologies (including the Internet of Things) and multi- and interdisciplinary expertise
- Providing Daily Landslide Hazard Assessments for the Natural Hazards Partnership: scientific information and advice on landslides for civil contingencies
- The National Landslide Database and GIS of Great Britain, which documents details on over 17,000 landslides and is the backbone to a variety of nationally and commercially important landslide susceptibility projects
- National landslide susceptibility mapping and modelling
- Science communication: understanding how we communicate science in different media and what we can learn from the arts
- Field expertise on the Dorset, Isle of Wight, Kent, East Anglian and Yorkshire Coasts, North York Moors, Pennines: field mapping of landslides and interpreting landslide processes in the coastal zone (see publications)
ORCID: 0000-0002-3560-9030
Key papers
- Pennington, C V L, Shaw, M, Brooks, T, Briganti, R, Gómez-Pazo, A, Ruffini, G, Appleton, M, and Payo, A. 2024. Nine months of daily LiDAR, orthophotos and MetOcean data from the eroding soft cliff coast at Happisburgh, UK. Nature Scientific Data, Vol 11, 846. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-03499-3
- Novellino, A, Pennington, C V L, Leeming, K, Taylor, S, Gonzalez Alvareza, I, McAllister, E, Arnhardt, C, and Winson, A. 2024. Mapping landslides from space: a review. Landslides, Vol. 21, 1041–1052. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-024-02215-x
- Pennington, C V L, Bossu, R, Ofli, F, Imran, M, Qazi, U W, Roch, J and Banks, V. 2022. A near-real-time global landslide incident reporting tool demonstrator using social media and artificial intelligence. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, Vol. 77, 103089. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103089
- Pennington, C V L, Bossu, R, Ofli, F, Imran, M, Qazi, U, Roch, J, and Banks, V. 2022. A global landslide incident reporting demonstrator using AI to interpret social media imagery in near-real-time. EGU General Assembly 2022 (EGU22-9752), Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-9752
- Ofli, F, Imran, M, Qazi, U, Roch, J, Pennington, C V L, Banks, V, and Bossu, R. 2022. Landslide detection in real-time social media image streams. The Thirty-Fourth Annual Conference on Innovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence (IAAI-22), February 24–26, 2022, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Bee, E, Pennington, C V L, and Dashwood, C. 2022. User guide: Debris Flow Susceptibility Model for Great Britain (version 6.1). British Geological Survey Open Report OR/22/023.
- Bee, E, Dashwood, C, Pennington, C V L, Ciurean, R. and Williams, C. 2022. Methodology Report: BGS Debris Flow Susceptibility Model for Great Britain (version 6.1). British Geological Survey Internal Report IR/22/013.
- Payo, A, and Pennington, C V L. 2021. Trial of “Cliff and shore erosion under accelerating sea level rise: user guide”. Nottingham, UK, British Geological Survey, 50pp. (OR/20/062)
- Karunarathne, S M, Dray, M, Popov, L, Butler, M, Pennington, C V L, and Angelopoulos, C M. 2020. A technological framework for data-driven IoT systems: application on landslide monitoring. Computer Communications, 154, pp298-312.
- Pennington, C V L, Hobbs, P R N, Jones, L D, and Kirkham, M P. 2020. Measuring coastal retreat: A case study from Holderness. Geography Review, 33, pp16-21.
- Parry, S, Barker, L, Sefton, C, Hannaford, J, Turner, S, Muchan, K, Matthews, B, and Pennington, C V L. 2020. Briefing note. Severity of the February 2020 floods – preliminary analysis. Wallingford, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, 8pp.
- Hobbs, P R N, Jones, L D, Kirkham, M P, Pennington, C V L, Morgan, D J R, and Dashwood, C. 2019. Coastal landslide monitoring at Aldbrough, East Riding of Yorkshire, UK. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology.
- Hobbs, P R N, Jones, L D, Kirkham, M P, Holyoake, S J, Pennington, C V L, Dashwood, C, Banks, V, and Reeves, H J. 2019. Establishment of a coastal landslide observatory at Aldbrough, East Riding of Yorkshire, UK. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology.
- Bee, E, Dashwood, C, and Pennington, C V L. 2018. A user guide for the GeoSure Extra: Debris Flow Susceptibility Model for Great Britain (version 6.0), Open Report OR/17/031.
- Dijkstra, T A, Reeves, H J, Freeborough, K A, Dashwood, C, Pennington, C V L, Jordan, H M, Hobbs, P R N, Richardson, J, Banks, V, Cole, S, Wells, S, and Moore, R. 2017. A water balance approach to enhance national (GB) Daily Landslide Hazard Assessments, Geophysical Research Abstracts, 19., EGU2017
- Dashwood, C, Pennington, C V L, Bee, E J, Freeborough, K A, and Dijkstra, T A. 2017. Creation of a national landslide domain map to aid susceptibility mapping in Great Britain. World Landslide Forum 4, 29 May-2 June 2017, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Pennington, C V L, Freeborough, K A, Dashwood, C, Dijkstra, T A, and Lawrie, K. 2015. The National Landslide Database of Great Britain: acquisition, communication and the role of social media. Geomorphology 249, pp44-51.
- Boon, D P, Chambers, J E, Hobbs, P R N, Kirkham, M, Merrit, A J, Dashwood, C, Pennington, C V L, and Wilby, P R. 2015. A combined geomorphological and geophysical approach to characterising relict landslide hazard on the Jurassic Escarpments of Great Britain. Geomorphology, 248, pp296-310.
- Pennington, C V L, Dijkstra, T A, Lark, M, Dashwood, C, Harrison, A M, Freeborough, K A, and Reeves, H J. 2014. Antecedent precipitation as a potential proxy for landslide incidence in South West United Kingdom. In: Sassa, K. et al. (eds), Landslides Science for a Safer Geoenvironment Vol. 1. pp253-259. Third World Landslide Forum 2014, Beijing.
- Gibson, A G, Culshaw, M G, Dashwood, C, and Pennington, C V L. 2013. Landslide management in the UK—the problem of managing hazards in a ‘low-risk’ environment. Landslides, 10(5), pp599-610.
- Pennington, C V L, and Harrison, A M. 2013. 2012 – Landslide Year? Was the increase in UK landslides during 2012 real or apparent?, GeoScientist Magazine. 23(5), pp10-15.
- Chambers, J, Meldrum, P, Gunn, D, Wilkinson, P, Merritt, A, Murphy, W, West, J, Kuras, O, Haslam, E, Hobbs, P, Pennington, C V L, and Munro, C. 2013. Geophysical-geotechnical sensor networks for landslide monitoring. In: Margottini, Claudio, (ed.) Landslide science and practice. Volume 2, early warning, instrumentation and monitoring. Springer, 289-294.
- Foster, C, Reeves, H J, Pennington, C V L, Hobbs, P R N, Culshaw, M G, Plim, J, Smith, J T, MacCulloch, F, Queen, G, and Winter, M G. 2012. Landslide hazard assessment and characterisation for forestry asset management in Great Britain. In: Eberhart, E, (ed.) Landslides and Engineered Slopes: Protecting Society through Improved Understanding. CRC Press.
- Foster, C, Pennington, C V L, Culshaw, M G, and Lawrie, K. 2012. The National Landslide Database of Great Britain: development, evolution and applications. Environmental Earth Sciences, 66(3) pp941-953.
- Evans, H, Pennington, C V L, Jordan, C, and Foster, C. 2012. Mapping a nation’s landslides: a novel, multi-stage methodology for landslide mapping and inventory within the UK. Proceedings of the Second World Landslide Forum, Rome, Italy 3rd-9th October 2011. Springer-Verlag Special Issue.
- Morgan, D, Pearson, S, Pennington, C V L, and Evans, H. 2011. Intertidal sediments and geomorphology characterisation: methodology report. British Geological Survey, 12pp. (OR/09/012).
- Yuangdetkla, K, Gibson, A, Whitworth, M, Foster, C, Entwisle, D, and Pennington, C V L. 2011. Distribution of landslides and geotechnical properties within the Hampshire Basin. In: 5th Canadian Conference on Geotechnique and Natural Hazards, Kelowna, Canada, 15-17 May 2011.
- Pennington, C V L, Foster, C, Chambers, J E, and Jenkins, G O. 2009. Landslide research at the British Geological Survey: capture, storage and interpretation on a national and site-specific scale. Acta geologica sinica English edition, 83(5). pp991-999.
- Pennington, C V L. 2009. Landslides in the Ironbridge Gorge, Shropshire. British Geological Survey website.
- Pennington, C V L, Evans, H, and Foster, C. 2009. Landslides of the area around Chesterfield, Geological Sheet 112. British Geological Survey Open Report, OR/09/022.
- Hobbs, P R N, Pennington, C V L, Pearson, S G, Jones, L D, Foster, C, Lee, J R, and Gibson, A. 2008. Slope Dynamics Project Report: Norfolk Coast (2000 – 2006) Nottingham, UK, British Geological Survey, 166pp. (OR/08/018).
- Foster, C, Poulton, C V L, and Harrison, M. 2008. A national hazard assessment of coastal landslides using GI capture systems: a government dataset. In: AGI Geocommunity 08: shaping a changing world, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK, 24-25 Sept 08
- Poulton, C V L, Lee, J R, Jones, L D, Hobbs, P R N, and Hall, M. 2006. Preliminary investigation into monitoring coastal erosion using terrestrial laser scanning: case study at Happisburgh, Norfolk, UK. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Norfolk, Vol. 56, 45-65.
- Poulton, C, Hobbs, P, and Jones, L. 2004. Disappearing coasts, Planet Earth, NERC.
Blog posts
- Pennington, C V L. 2019. Hot off the press! Results from our Coastal Landslide Observatory on the Holderness Coast, UK
- Pennington, C V L. 2018. PODCAST: Geology is boring, right? What?! NO! also guest post on EGU’s GeoLog
- Pennington, C V L. 2018. FRACTURE CAPTURE!
- Pennington, C V L. 2018. World Heritage Sites under threat! BGS scientists strive to protect them.
- Pennington, C V L. 2018 Why do we need to know what’s under our cities? And what’s it got to do with icebergs?!
- Pennington, C V L. 2018. Unseen video footage: The Holbeck Hall landslide 25 years on
- Pennington, C V L. 2017. How to draw pictures in the sand on a sunny(ish) beach
- Pennington, C V L. 2017. BGS wins major impact award!
- Pennington, C V L. 2017. BGS Open Day 2017: a huge success!
- Pennington, C V L. 2016. Strange creatures invade the BGS.
- Pennington, C V L. 2015. The historic role of BGS women scientists, a look at what is happening today
- Pennington, C V L. 2015. Isotopes, bones and the teeth of King Richard III
- Pennington, C V L. 2014. An unscrupulously woolly investigation: a look at the more unusual work at BGS
- Pennington, C V L. 2014. Paul Witney, BGS Photographer
- Pennington, C V L. 2014. Tales from a Geological Adventurer
- Pennington, C V L. 2014. Hunting for landslides in St Lucia
NERC Open Research Archive — Catherine Pennington
Scopus — Catherine V L Pennington
Skills
- Engineering geologist
- Landslide processes and mapping expertise
- Coastal landslide processes
- Field expertise: landslide mapping, geological mapping, digital data capture, terrestrial LIDAR
- BGS National Landslide Database
Qualifications
- 2020: freelance and feature writing diploma awarded with distinction, London School of Journalism
- 1999 to 2000: MSc advanced engineering geology awarded with distinction, Durham University
- 1996 to 1999: BSc geology, University of Wales, Aberystwyth