Overview
Background
BSc.Hons. (HKU), MPhil. (HKU), PhD (NUS)
Dr Annie Lau is a coastal geomorphologist with a primary research interest in analysing past occurrences of coastal hazards, in particular extreme waves generated by storms and tsunamis, through sedimentary, geomorphological and historical records for assessing the future threat in coastal areas. For example, she has specialised in using the characteristics of large coastal boulders (e.g. size and distribution of rocks) to estimate the strength of extreme waves and to reconstruct the history of extreme events in the past millennia at a few tropical islands in the Asia-Pacific area. More recently, Annie investigates coastline evolution of the sandy Central to Southern Queensland coasts in the late Quaternary - Holocene by analysing sediments and using OSL quartz dating.
Annie teaches a range of courses in Geography, Marine Science, and Geoscience disciplines. She is interested in all types of natural hazards and disaster management, some research areas that she's expanding into since acquiring in-depth knowledge through leading the "Environmental Hazards" course. Students who are interested in researching hazard topics are encouraged to discuss their research ideas with Annie.
She is a project leader of the following research networks:
IGCP Project 725 - Forecasting Coastal Change: "From Cores to Code: Bringing together scientists from coastal geology and numerical modelling to improve the predictive capacity of numerical models to fore- and hind-cast coastal change"
ISROC - Inundation Signatures on Rocky Coastlines: This network serves as a focal point for researchers, educators, and students to understand Coastal Boulder Deposits (CBD) and the storms and tsunamis that generate them.
Availability
- Dr Annie Lau is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, National University of Singapore
Research interests
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Natural hazards
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Coastal geomorphology
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Quaternary environments
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Sedimentology
Works
Search Professor Annie Lau’s works on UQ eSpace
2015
Journal Article
Advantages of beachrock slabs for interpreting high-energy wave transport: Evidence from Ludao Island in south-eastern Taiwan
Lau, A Y Annie, Terry, James P, Switzer, Adam D and Pile, Jeremy (2015). Advantages of beachrock slabs for interpreting high-energy wave transport: Evidence from Ludao Island in south-eastern Taiwan. Geomorphology, 228, 263-274. doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2014.09.010
2014
Journal Article
A preliminary study of the distribution, sizes and orientations of large reef-top coral boulders deposited by extreme waves at Makemo Atoll, French Polynesia
Lau, A. Y. Annie, Etienne, Samuel, Terry, James P., Switzer, Adam D. and Lee, Ying Sin (2014). A preliminary study of the distribution, sizes and orientations of large reef-top coral boulders deposited by extreme waves at Makemo Atoll, French Polynesia. Journal of Coastal Research, 70, 272-277. doi: 10.2112/SI70-046.1
2014
Conference Publication
Inconsistencies in historical records of tsunamis in the southeastern coast of China
Lau, An Yi Annie, Switzer, Adam D., Dominey-Howes, Dale, Zong, Yongqiang and Aitchison, Jonathan C. (2014). Inconsistencies in historical records of tsunamis in the southeastern coast of China. South China Sea Tsunami Workshop 3, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, 3-5 November 2009. Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia.
2013
Journal Article
A comparison of the post-storm recovery of two sandy beaches on Hong Kong Island, southern China
Yu, Fengling, Switzer, Adam D., Lau, An Yi Annie, Yeung, Hoi Yan Esther, Chik, Shun Wah, Chiu, Hon Chim, Huang, Zhaoquan and Pile, Jeremy (2013). A comparison of the post-storm recovery of two sandy beaches on Hong Kong Island, southern China. Quaternary International, 304, 163-175. doi: 10.1016/j.quaint.2013.04.002
2013
Book
Reef-Platform Coral Boulders: Evidence for High-Energy Marine Inundation Events on Tropical Coastlines
Terry, James P., Lau, A. Y. Annie and Etienne, Samuel (2013). Reef-Platform Coral Boulders: Evidence for High-Energy Marine Inundation Events on Tropical Coastlines. Singapore: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-4451-33-8
2012
Conference Publication
Developing a Historical Typhoon Database for the Southeastern Chinese Coastal Provinces, 1951-2010
Lee, Y., Yu, F., Switzer, A. D., Gouramanis, C., Lau, A. Y. A. and Terry, J. P. (2012). Developing a Historical Typhoon Database for the Southeastern Chinese Coastal Provinces, 1951-2010. 1st Annual International Conference on Geological & Earth Sciences, City of Singapore, Singapore, 3-4 December 2012. Singapore: Global Science and Technology Forum.
2010
Journal Article
Written records of historical tsunamis in the northeastern South China Sea: challenges associated with developing a new integrated database
Lau, A. Y. A., Switzer, A. D., Dominey-Howes, D., Aitchison, J. C. and Zong, Y. (2010). Written records of historical tsunamis in the northeastern South China Sea: challenges associated with developing a new integrated database. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 10 (9), 1793-1806. doi: 10.5194/nhess-10-1793-2010
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Annie Lau is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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Geological records of coastal storms in Southern Queensland
With increasing population and development on the southern Queensland coast, accurate coastal hazard (e.g. cyclone, tsunami) risk assessment is essential for protecting people’s lives and properties, however this is currently hampered by short duration and spatially limited historical records. This study aims to determine long-term (millennial scale) records and to identify the maximum magnitude of cyclones (and possibly tsunami) from the landscape and the sedimentary record in southern Queensland. This will expand the coastal hazard event dataset, thereby improving risk assessment and guiding management strategies.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Physical-chemical drivers of phytoplankton community dynamics in Moreton Bay Estuary: Implications for water quality management
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ron Johnstone, Professor Yongping Wei
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Doctor Philosophy
Understanding tsunami sources and frequency in northern Tonga
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Chris Roelfsema
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Doctor Philosophy
An analysis and characterization of coastal landslide occurrence and hazard and assessment of its potential impact in southeastern Queensland
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Lutz Gross
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Physical-chemical drivers of phytoplankton community dynamics in Moreton Bay Estuary: Implications for water quality management
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ron Johnstone, Professor Yongping Wei
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Annie Lau directly for media enquiries about:
- China
- Coastal impacts
- Cyclone
- Fiji
- Flood
- Hazards in East Asia
- Hazards in Pacific
- Hong Kong
- Landscape changes
- Natural hazards
- Storm impacts
- Tsunami
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