Dr Alissa Flatley

Lecturer
UNSW Canberra
School of Science

Dr. Alissa Flatley is a lecturer in physical geography at UNSW, Canberra. Alissa completed her PhD in 2022 at the University of Melbourne where her research examined the geomorphology of small arid zone streams in the Eastern Pilbara, (Western Australia) and implications for mining river relocation designs. After her PhD, Alissa worked as a senior tutor, then associate lecturer and research assistant at the University of Melbourne where she supported research projects in cosmogenic isotope analysis and optically stimulated luminescence of Quaternary materials. After a brief period of time spent in Wales, she joined UNSW Canberra in early 2025. 

  • Journal articles | 2024
    Flatley A; Drummond M; Cunningham A; Alun E; Jenkins R; Williams H, 2024, 'Optimising Survey Approaches for Over-Stabilised Urban Dunes in South Wales', Journal of Coastal Research, 113, http://dx.doi.org/10.2112/jcr-si113-086.1
    Journal articles | 2024
    Flatley A, 2024, 'Measuring dune development with handheld terrestrial laser scanning', Nature Reviews Earth and Environment, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43017-024-00626-x
    Journal articles | 2024
    Shanafield M; Blanchette M; Daly E; Wells N; Burrows RM; Korbel K; Rau GC; Bourke S; Wakelin-King G; Holland A; Ralph T; McGrath G; Robson B; Fowler K; Andersen MS; Yu S; Jones CS; Waltham N; Banks EW; Flatley A; Leigh C; Maxwell S; Siebers A; Bond N; Beesley L; Hose G; Iles J; Cartwright I; Reid M; de Castro Tayer T; Duvert C, 2024, 'Australian non-perennial rivers: Global lessons and research opportunities', Journal of Hydrology, 634, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.130939
    Journal articles | 2023
    Flatley A; Rutherfurd I, 2023, 'Establishing Geomorphic Reference Criteria for Design of River Diversions Around Mine Pits in the Pilbara, Western Australia', Mine Water and the Environment, 42, pp. 293 - 311, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10230-023-00937-3
    Journal articles | 2022
    Burberry CM; Flatley A; Gray A; Guilinger J; Hamshaw S; Hill K; Mu Y; Rowland JC, 2022, 'Earth and Planetary Surface Processes Perspectives on Integrated, Coordinated, Open, Networked (ICON) Science', Earth and Space Science, 9, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2022EA002414
    Journal articles | 2022
    Flatley A; Rutherfurd I; Sims A, 2022, 'Using Structure-from-Motion Photogrammetry to Improve Roughness Estimates for Headwater Dryland Streams in the Pilbara, Western Australia', Remote Sensing, 14, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs14030454
    Journal articles | 2022
    Flatley A; Rutherfurd I, 2022, 'Comparison of Regionalisation Techniques for Peak Streamflow Estimation in Small Catchments in the Pilbara, Australia', Hydrology, 9, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/hydrology9100165
    Journal articles | 2021
    Flatley A; Markham A, 2021, 'Establishing effective mine closure criteria for river diversion channels', Journal of Environmental Management, 287, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112287
    Journal articles | 2018
    Flatley A; Rutherfurd ID; Hardie R, 2018, 'River channel relocation: Problems and prospects', Water (Switzerland), 10, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w10101360
  • Preprints | 2022
    Burberry CM; Flatley A; Gray AB; Gulinger JJ; Hamshaw SD; Hill K; Mu Y; Rowland JC, 2022, Earth and Planetary Surface Processes Perspectives on Integrated, Coordinated, Open, Networked (ICON) Science, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/essoar.10508636.2
    Preprints | 2021
    Burberry CM; Flatley A; Gray AB; Gulinger JJ; Hamshaw SD; Hill K; Mu Y; Rowland JC, 2021, Earth and Planetary Surface Processes Perspectives on Integrated, Coordinated, Open, Networked (ICON) Science, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/essoar.10508636.1

Alissa integrates novel geomorphic techniques with remote sensing and GIS mapping to address issues relating both for past Quaternary environments and anthropogenically driven environmental change. During her PhD, she was an AINSE scholar, allowing her to undertake further landscape research in dryland environments using cosmogenic isotope dating conducted at ANSTO, Australia. Alissa applies geochronological techniques to further our understanding of the interaction between human-physical systems and landscape processes at a range of timescales. 

My Teaching

I am involved in the delivery of the following subjects in the School of Science at UNSW Canberra:

Geography 1A (ZPEM1201)

Geography 1B (ZPEM1202)

Environmental Hazards (ZPEM3204)