Kasongo Shutsha
Research student,
- shutshake@cardiff.ac.uk
- 2.28, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT
Overview
Biography
- Ph.D. - Effects of Land Cover Changes on Climate and the Surface Energy Budget - School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University (2020 - Present)
- MSc - Climate Change Sciences and Policy - School of Geographical Sciences, Bristol University (2017 - 2019)
- BSc - Geographical Sciences - School of Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles (2013 - 2016)
Interests
- Climate modeling
- Land surface processes
- Evapotranspiration estimates
- Remote sensing
Research
Research interests
My current research focuses on assessing the influence of land cover changes such as deforestation on the surface energy budget and climate. I also investigate how this land alteration affects evapotranspiration. Land cover changes cause substantial variation in physical properties of the surface such as evapotranspiration and surface albedo.
Therefore, I seek to assess the bio-geophysical changes caused by land cover alteration and the subsequent effects on the climate system. I use earth system models to model these land-climate dynamics and collect ground-based data from meteorological stations such as FLUXNET towers to evaluate my climate modelling.
Teaching
- I took part in the demonstration of the 20/21-EA2308 - Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis in 2020-2021, the 21/22-EA2308 - Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis in 2021-2022, and the 22/23-EA2308 - Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis in 2022-2023. This course focuses on the analysis of changes in environmental processes. This analysis is made through Geographical Information Systems such as the Google Earth Engine. I supported the second-year students in developing their coding skills in the Google Earth Engine and their understanding of environmental dynamics.
- I took part in the demonstration of the EA3322 - Global Climate Change in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 which focuses on the analysis of current and future climate changes and their link to past geological periods. I supported the third-year students in understanding past and current research on paleo-analogs.
- I contributed to the demonstration of the EA1309 - Practical Field Session in 2022. This course helps first-year students better understand the Urban Ecosystem Services and land cover type in Cardiff city center.
- I helped in the demonstration of the EA2317 - Field Exercise in North Cardiff in 2021. This field trip focuses on the analysis of the land cover types and land uses in North Cardiff. I helped guide first-year students across different sites.
Thesis
Improving the Global Energy Budget in Earth System Models to Investigate the Teleconnection of Forest Cover Changes
I investigate how to improve the estimation of land evapotranspiration to close the surface energy balance in meteorological stations such as FLUXNET towers. Subsequently, my research also seeks to include a cross-scale evapotranspiration parameterisation in an Earth system model to assess more accurately how forest cover changes affect the climate system.
My two key aims are therefore to develop an evapotranspiration equation constraint by the surface energy budget and improve the modelling of forest cover changes in Earth system models.
