About
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. My work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
I am an academic at the University of Derby with more than 25 years of practical applied experience in the fields of sedimentary geology, reservoir characterisation, palaeontology, sequence stratigraphy and environmental geology, working with academia, industry, local government and NGO’s.
After receiving my undergraduate degree in Geological Sciences from Oxford Brookes University I moved to Royal Holloway, University of London where my PhD looked at the development of Miocene age carbonate systems in a volcanic island arc setting, particularly focusing on the interactions between carbonates and siliciclastic sediments.
On completing my PhD, I spent four years in industry working on a wide range of petroleum reservoir systems throughout the Middle East. In 2004 I joined the recently-formed Petroleum Institute (now Khalifa University) in Abu Dhabi where I taught a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses and led numerous research projects looking at recent and ancient sedimentary systems. One of the long-term topics of my research has been the sedimentary systems of the Abu Dhabi sabkha where three projects are currently active focusing on the effects of sea level rise, early diagenetic systems, and facies mapping.
I am passionate about public outreach and societal engagement, speaking at a range of public and societal events in the UK and internationally.
In 2023 I was awarded the Geological Society R H Worth Medal in recognition of achievements in outreach, public engagement and education in acknowledgment of founding and coordinating Seds Online, an initiative to globally unite and support all sedimentologists, regardless of background.
Between 2014-2024 I was a member of the Bureau of the International Association of Sedimentologists (Vice President 2014-18, General Secretary 2018-2024).
I currently supervise one PhD student.
Research interests
I study a broad range of recent sediments and ancient sedimentary rocks in order to understand depositional processes and apply this understanding to interpreting ancient depositional environments. A particular focus of my research has been the study of carbonate deposition in stressed environments including settings under the influence of volcanic activity and arid high-salinity settings such as those found in the Arabian Gulf. My research has academic, industrial and societal applications.
Current PhD Students
Recent publications
Below are some of my most recent publications: For a more complete overview of my research, please see my ResearchGate and Google Scholar profiles.
- Zhong, Y., Lokier, S.W., Jones, B., Hoffmann, R. and Immenhauser, A. (2026) Morphological patterns of (sub)recent marine aragonite crystals in transects from the shoreline to open coastal waters of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. GSA Bulletin.
- Unger, T., Lokier, S.W., Aretz, M., Saillol, M. and Immenhauser, A. (2026) Sediment-stressed reefs over the past 420 Myr. The Depositional Record, 12, e70040.
- Remírez, M.N., Gilleaudeau, G.J., Sahoo, S.K., Guerra, L., Pederson, C., Piovano, E., Kaufman, A.J., Immenhauser, A., Lokier, S.W. and Algeo, T.J. (2026) Beyond evaporites: Assessing hypersalinity using boron-based salinity proxies. Chemical Geology, 719, 123581.
- Jones, A.J., Gupta, S., Barnes, R., Horgan, B.H.N., Williford, K.H., Paar, G., Stack, K.M., Garzcynski, B.J., Ravanis, E., Bedford, C.C., Simon, J.I., Klidaras, A., Kah, L.C., Bell, J.F., Maki, J., Lokier, S.W., Brown, A., Williams, N.R., Alwmark, S., Núñez, J.I., Calef, F., Crumpler, L., Vaughan, A., Ives, L.R.W., Gwizd, S., Farley, K., Tate, C., Randazzo, N., Beyssac, O. and Caravaca, G. (2026) Stratigraphy of Carbonate-Bearing Rocks at the Margin of Jezero Crater, Mars: Evidence for Shoreline Processes? Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 131, e2025JE009111.
- Baas, J.H., Hewitt, W., Lokier, S. and Hendry, J. (2025) Coming to light: How effective are sediment gravity flows in removing fine suspended carbonate from reefs? The Depositional Record, 11, 583-598.
- Mono, P., Hoffmann, R., Wisshak, M., Lokier, S.W., Pederson, C.L., Hennhoefer, D., Diaz, M.R., Swart, P.K., Nehrke, G. and Immenhauser, A. (2024) Microborings reveal alternating agitation, resting and sleeping stages of modern marine ooids. Sedimentology, 71, 359-382
- Zhong, Y., Lokier, S.W., Pederson, C.L., Fiorini, F., Hennhoefer, D., Ge, Y. and Immenhauser, A. (2023) Carbonate sediment dynamics in the Abu Dhabi lagoon - implications for low-angle inner-to-middle ramp models. Marine Geology, 465, 107172
- Unger, T., Saillol, M., Aretz, M., Lokier, S., Mueller, M., Karius, V. and Immenhauser, A. (2023) Inside a sediment-stressed Middle Devonian carpet reef: Cave exposes details of three-dimensional facies architecture and palaeoecology. Sedimentology, 70, 1251-1280
- Lokier, S.W. (2023) Marine carbonate sedimentation in volcanic settings. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 520, 547-594
- Ge, Y., Pederson, C. L., Lokier, S. W., Strauss, H., & Immenhauser, A. (2023). Radiaxial fibrous calcite forms via early marine-diagenetic alteration of micritic magnesium calcite. Sedimentology, 70(2), 434-450. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.13064
- Pederson, C.L., Ge, Y., Lokier, S.W., Swart, P.K., Vonhof, H., Strauss, H., Schurr, S., Fiorini, F., Riechelmann, S., Licha, T. and Immenhauser, A. (2021). Seawater chemistry of a modern subtropical ‘epeiric’ sea: Spatial variability and effects of organic Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 314, 159-177. DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2021.09.024
- Dunn, S.K., Pufahl, P.K., Murphy, J.B. & Lokier, S.W. (2021). Middle Ordovician upwelling-related ironstone of North Wales: coated grains, ocean chemistry, and biological evolution. Frontiers in Earth Science, 9 (709), 1-24. DOI: 10.3389/feart.2021.669476
- Ge, Y., Della Porta, G., Pederson, C. L., Lokier, S. W., Hoffmann, R., & Immenhauser, A. (2021). Botryoidal and Spherulitic Aragonite in Carbonates Associated with Microbial Mats: Precipitation or Diagenetic Replacement Product? Frontiers in Earth Science, 9(488), 1-22. doi:10.3389/feart.2021.698952
- Paul, A., Lokier, S.W., Sherry, A., Andrade, L.L., Court, W.M., Van Der Land, C., Dutton, K.E. & Head, I.M. (2021). Erosion-initiated stromatolite and thrombolite formation in a present-day coastal sabkha setting. Sedimentology, 68, 382-401. DOI: 10.1111/se
Professional interests
My current roles and responsibilities
Recent conferences
My research has been disseminated in over 140 presentations at national and international conferences. For the sake of brevity, only the five most recent presentations are listed here:
Lokier, S. W. & Mineyko, E., 2026. Carbonate sediment budgets under predicted future Ocean Acidification pathways. European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, Geophysical Research Abstracts. EGU26-2029
Mbachu, C.C. & Lokier, S.W. Enhanced weathering strategy in atmospheric carbon dioxide sequestration in regenerative land management. East Midlands Geological Society 60th Anniversary Conference, Nottingham, UK
Ranise, A. & Lokier, S.W. Repurposing the near-end-of-life Whisby Oilfield in the East Midland Province for geothermal use. East Midlands Geological Society 60th Anniversary Conference, Nottingham, UK
Fish, J. & Lokier, S.W. Investigating the Effects of Ocean Acidification on Temporal Carbonate Retention in Temperate Marine Environments. East Midlands Geological Society 60th Anniversary Conference, Nottingham, UK
Samuel, N. & Lokier, S.W. Unlocking the Earth’s Warmth: The potential for Geothermal Heating at University of Derby. East Midlands Geological Society 60th Anniversary Conference, Nottingham, UK
Experience in industry
For several years I was directly employed in industry working on a wide range of sedimentary systems throughout the Middle East. I have over 25 years of research collaboration with industry - working on a range of projects to better characterise and understand the sub-surface.
More recently, I have undertaken consultancy work for both the energy sector, governmental organisations and educational institutions.
My research on microbial communities and sea level rise has been featured in news articles.
I have advised on numerous documentaries including the BBC’s Wild Arabia. I have also contributed to the design and development of the Earth Sciences Galleries of the recently opened National History Museum Abu Dhabi.
International experience
My research has taken me all over the world studying, describing, interpreting and explaining recent and ancient sedimentary systems in a global context. I have lived in the Middle East for over 16 years and have spent extended periods in Southeast Asia and Europe.
I have taught field courses in the UK, Spain, Italy, Oman and the UAE.
Teaching responsibilities
I currently teach on numerous modules including;
- 4GL512 Evolving Earth (level 4)*
- 4GL506 Earth Materials (level 4)
- 4EV504 Climate, Atmosphere and Oceans (level 4)*
- 4GL511 Advanced Toolkit for Earth Scientists (level 4)
- 5GL505 Applied Sedimentology (level 5)*
- 5GL512 Volcanic and Metamorphic Systems (level 5)*
- 6GG501 Climate Change (level 6)
[* Module Leader]
I supervise undergraduate students during their third-year Independent Research Projects as well as numerous Masters Projects and PhDs.
