Conor Murphy

Biography

Conor is a Lecturer in the Department of Geography at Maynooth University, having graduated with his PhD in 2007 (the subject of which was climate change and catchment hydrology). His research interests are broad ranging with a particular focus on: i). Modelling impacts of climate change, quantifying uncertainty and exploring how uncertainty in future impacts can be integrated into decision making. ii). The detection and attribution of climate change signals from observations and the reconstruction and analysis of long term records of key climate variables. iii). Understanding the social dynamics of adaptation to climate change. Conor has been awarded over €3.8 million in funding as PI or Co-I from national and European sources. His research engages closely with enterprise, public bodies and communities. For example, he is working with the Office of Public Works and Irish Water to develop innovative methodological approaches for stress-testing design of flood defences and critical infrastructure to uncertainties in climate projections. Working with flood affected communites in Ireland and the UK his publication in Nature Climate Change with Adger et al. ‘Changing social contracts in climate change adaptation’ was awarded runner-up in the Lloyd’s Science of Risk prize 2013 (category: Geopolitical and Societal Risk), awarded annually by the insurance industry to research that furthers understanding of risk. Conor has consistently published in top ranking international journals including Nature Climate Change, Climatic Change, the International Journal of Climatology and Advances in Water Resources (see publications tab for full list). He has also published numerous books chapters and government reports informing policy in the area. Conor has supervised 3 PhD to completion and currently works with a talented team of post docs and Phds. Since its inception in 2008 Conor has been course director for the MSc Climate Change at Maynooth University, overseeing successful completion of almost 100 masters’ students and supervising over 50 MSc theses. He teaches modules on climate change and catchment hydrology at undergraduate and postgraduate level. He also co-teaches a Maynooth Elective module with Prof. Gerry Kearns which takes an interdisciplinary look at contemporary and historical global environmental change and is offered to all second year students across the University. In 2015 Conor was recipient of a National Teaching Expert Award, recognising innovative teaching development and delivery of an international, interdisciplinary masters course on Transformative Community Development devised with colleagues in Africa (Malawi and Zambia) and Maynooth (Adult and Community Education and Biology). Conor sits on the National Adaptation Committee and has acted as expert reviewer for reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Extreme Events and is Review Editor for the Urban Climate Change Research Network Global Assessment Report. He is also a member of the Irish National Committee for the International Hydrological Programme. He has acted as expert reviewer for the European Research Council and other national and international science funding bodies.

Research Interest

Geography