Adam SWITZER

Principal Investigator

Associate Professor, Asian School of the Environment

Phone:

(+65) 6592 1762

Fax:

(+65) 6794 3846

Email:

aswitzer@ntu.edu.sg

Office Location:

N2-01c-44

Additional Website:

https://bit.ly/SwitzerNTUProfile

Research Group:

Tectonics, Climate

Team:

Coastal Lab - Adam Switzer

View Adam's CV

Adam Switzer is a Principal Investigator at the Earth Observatory of Singapore and an Associate Professor at Nanyang Technological University’s Asian School of the Environment (ASE), where he is also Associate Chair (Academic). He was previously Assistant Chair (Research and Graduate Studies) at ASE between 2014 and 2016.

Adam joined the Earth Observatory in 2009 and was appointed Nanyang Assistant Professor in the following year. He was the first earth scientist to be awarded the National Research Foundation Fellowship in 2010. Previous academic positions at the University of Hong Kong include Centenary Research Assistant Professor (2007), Post-doctoral Research Fellow (2005), and the Cheung Kong Endeavour Australia Fellow (2005). Adam received his BSc (Hons) and his PhD from the University of Wollongong in Australia.

An internationally recognised expert in coastal science, his research covers coastal hazards, marine and nearshore processes, coral reefs and associated sedimentation, Adam has lead global research programs for UNESCO-IGCP and the Asian geoscientific community. He represents Singapore on the Coordinating Committee for Geoscience Programmes in East and Southeast Asia and on the International Atomic Energy Agency project RAS7037 — Enhancing Wetland Management and Sustainable Conservation Planning. He is a former Executive Council member of the Asia Oceania Geosciences Society and he has been Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on 18 grants in Singapore worth more than S$16 million. Adam’s current research focusses on storm surges, tsunamis and sea level in tropical settings along with multi-hazard interactions. Research subthemes include sedimentary geology, time series analyses, mathematical models, complexity, confronting models with data, and the communication of science to the public and media.

Adam has authorship on more than 80 peer-reviewed publications and is currently serving on the editorial boards of Geoscience Letters and Communications Earth & Environment. He was editor of Volume 14 of the Treatise on Geomorphology, and guest editor of special issues in Quaternary International (2010), Quaternary Science Reviews (2012) and Geoscience Letters (2016 and 2018). Adam is an active science communicator and has appeared in numerous documentaries and news segments for global media outlets including the Curiosity Stream, BBC (UK), CNN (US), and ABC (Australia).

To date, Adam has supervised more than 30 undergraduate and postgraduate students on research projects. He supervised seven postdocs, eight students to PhDs, and five to MSc or MPhil. He has received a number of awards: the Teaching Award from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences in NTU (2010) and the Cheung-Kong Endeavour Australia Award (2005) — he was the first earth scientist recipient.

Education:

2005: PhD, University of Wollongong, Australia
1999: BSc, University of Wollongong, Australia

Professional Experience:

2017 — present: Associate Chair (Academic), The Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University
2016 — present: Associate Professor, The Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University
2009 — present: Principal Investigator, Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University
2007 — 2009: Centenary Research Assistant Professor, The University of Hong Kong
2005 — 2007: Post-doctoral Research Fellow, The University of Hong Kong
2005: Cheung Kong Endeavour Australia Fellow, The University of Hong Kong
2003: Associate Lecturer, University of Wollongong, Australia
2000 — 2004: Casual academic, University of Wollongong, Australia

Honours and Awards:

2020: Conference Co-Chair EGU-AOGS Joint meeting on Natural Hazards, Yogyakarta
2018: Conference Co-Chair EGU-AOGS Joint meeting on Natural Hazards, Tagaytay, Philippines
2013 — 2017: Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and Executive council member Asia Oceania Geosciences Society
2013 — 2016: Editorial board member of Geoscience Letters
2014 — present: Editorial board member of Geoscience Letters
2013: Editor of Volume 14 Treatise on Geomorphology
2012: Guest editor a special issue of Quaternary Science Reviews
2010: Guest editor of a special issue of Quaternary International
2010 — 2015: Developer, primary proponent, and co-leader of UNESCO-IUGS backed project IGCP588 – Preparing for coastal change
2010 — 2015: Singapore NRF fellowship
2005: Cheung-Kong Endeavour Australia Award

Publications:

Mohtar, A. T., Hughen K. A., Goodkin N. F., Streanga I-M., Ramos R. D., Samanta D., et al. (2021). Coral-based proxy calibrations constrain ENSO-driven sea surface temperature and salinity gradients in the Western Pacific Warm Pool. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 561,
Tan, C. W. J., Gouramanis C., Pham T D., Hoang D. Q., & Switzer A. (2021). Ostracods as pollution indicators in Lap An Lagoon, central Vietnam. Environmental Pollution.
Soria, J. L. A., Switzer A., Pile J., Siringan F. P., Brill D., & Daag A. (2021). Geomorphological and sedimentological records of recent storms on a volcaniclastic coast in Bicol, Philippines. Geomorphology.
Yuen, K W., Hanh T. Thi, Quynh V. Duong, Switzer A., Teng P., & Lee J. S. H. (2021). Interacting effects of land-use change and natural hazards on rice agriculture in the Mekong and Red River deltas in Vietnam. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. 21, 1473–1493.
Chua, S., Switzer A., Li T., Chen H., Christie M., Shaw T. A., et al. (2021). A new Holocene sea-level record for Singapore. The Holocene.
Yap, W., Switzer A., Gouramanis C., Marzinelli E., Wijaya W., Yan Y. Ting, et al. (2021). Environmental DNA signatures distinguish between tsunami and storm deposition in overwash sand. Communications Earth & Environment. 2,
Chua, C. T., Switzer A., Suppasri A., Li L., Pakoksung K., Lallemant D., et al. (2021). Tsunami damage to ports: cataloguing damage to create fragility functions from the 2011 Tohoku event. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. 21, 1887–1908.
Claro, S. M. D., Ramos N. T., Fernando A. G. S., Ishimura D., & Switzer A. (2021). Sedimentological evidence of washover deposits from extreme wave events in Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao, southern Philippines. Marine Geology.
Gouramanis, C., Switzer A., Bristow C. S., Pham D. T., Mauz B., Que H D., et al. (2020). Holocene evolution of the Chan May coastal embayment, central Vietnam: Changing coastal dynamics associated with decreasing rates of progradation possibly forced by mid- to late-Holocene sea-level changes. Geomorphology.
Chua, S., Switzer A., Hartman K., Bhatia N., & Koh J. (2020). Assessing Undergraduate Learning in Earth Science Residential Fieldwork. Asian Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. 10(1), 69-88.
Chua, S., Switzer A., Kearsey T. I., Bird M. I., Rowe C., Chiam K., et al. (2020). A new Quaternary stratigraphy of the Kallang River Basin, Singapore: Implications for urban development and geotechnical engineering in Singapore. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences.
Morgan, K. M., Moynihan M. A., Sanwlani N., & Switzer A. (2020). Light Limitation and Depth-Variable Sedimentation Drives Vertical Reef Compression on Turbid Coral Reefs. Frontiers in Marine Science.
Wan, J. X. W., Meltzner A. J., Switzer A., Lin K., Wang X., Bradley S. L., et al. (2020). Relative sea-level stability and the radiocarbon marine reservoir correction at Natuna Island, Indonesia, since 6400 yr. Marine Geology.
Switzer, A., Felix R. P., Soria J. Lea A., & Shaw T. A. (2020). A comparative study of the 2013 typhoon Haiyan overwash sediments from a coastal cave and beach system at Salcedo, Eastern Samar, central Philippines. Marine Geology. 419,
Peng, D., Hill E. M., Li L., Switzer A., & Larson K. (2019). Application of GNSS interferometric reflectometry for detecting storm surges. GPS Solutions. 23,
Peng, D., Hill E. M., Meltzner A. J., & Switzer A. (2019). Tide Gauge Records Show That the 18.61‐Year Nodal Tidal Cycle Can Change High Water Levels by up to 30 cm. Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans. 124, 736-749.
Kumar, A., Lo E., & Switzer A. (2019). Relationship between East Asian Cold Surges and Synoptic Patterns: A New Coupling Framework. Climate. 7(2),
Qiu, Q., Li L., Hsu Y-J., Wang Y., Chan C-H., & Switzer A. (2019). Revised earthquake sources along Manila trench for tsunami hazard assessment in the South China Sea. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. 19, 1565–1583.
Martin, S., Li L., Okal E., Morin J., Tetteroo A., Switzer A., et al. (2019). Reassessment of the 1907 Sumatra "Tsunami Earthquake" Based on Macroseismic, Seismological, and Tsunami Observations, and Modeling. Pure and Applied Geophysics. 176(7), 2831–2868.
Bradley, K. E., Mallick R., Andikagumi H., Hubbard J., Meilianda E., Switzer A., et al. (2019). Earthquake-triggered 2018 Palu Valley landslides enabled by wet rice cultivation. Nature Geoscience.
Mann, T., Bender M., Lorscheid T., Stocchi P., Vacchi M., Switzer A., et al. (2019). Holocene sea levels in Southeast Asia, Maldives, India and Sri Lanka: The SEAMIS database. Quaternary Science Reviews. 219, 112-125.
Tan, A. W. Y., Gumert M. D., Luncz L. V., Chua C. T., Kulik L., Switzer A., et al. (2019). Prevalence of tool behaviour is associated with pelage phenotype in intraspecific hybrid long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis aurea x M.f. fascicularis). Behaviour. 156(11), 1083-1125.
Pham, D. T., Switzer A., Heurta G., Meltzner A. J., Nguyen H. M., & Hill E. M. (2019). Spatiotemporal variations of extreme sea levels around the South China Sea: assessing the influence of tropical cyclones, monsoons and major climate modes. Natural Hazards. 98(3), 969-1001.
Mann, T., Bender M., Lorscheid T., Stocchi P., Vacchi M., Switzer A., et al. (2019). Relative sea-level data from the SEAMIS database compared to ICE-5G model predictions of glacial isostatic adjustment. Data in Brief Volume. 27,
Majewski, J. M., Switzer A., Meltzner A. J., Parham P. R., Horton B. P., Bradley S. L., et al. (2018). Holocene relative sea-level records from coral microatolls in Western Borneo, South China Sea. Holocene. 28(9), 1431-1442.
Li, L., Switzer A., Wang Y., Chan C-H., Qiu Q., & Weiss R. (2018). A modest 0.5-m rise in sea level will double the tsunami hazard in Macau. Science Advances. 4(8),
Parham, P. R., Roy K., Horton B. P., Meltzner A. J., Majewski J. M., Shaw T. A., et al. (2018). Comparison of sea level reconstructions with glacio isostatic adjustment model predictions for Southeast Asia. IGCP Project 639, Taranto, Italy.
Li, L., Yang J., Lin C-Y., Chua C., Wang Y., Zhao K., et al. (2018). Field survey of Typhoon Hato (2017) and a comparison with storm surge modeling in Macau. Natural Hazards and Earth System Science. 18(12), 3167-3178.
Pile, J., Gouramanis C., Switzer A., Rush B., Reynolds I., & Soria J. L. A. (2018). Can the risk of coastal hazards be better communicated?. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 27, 439-450.
Soria, J. L. A., Switzer A., Pilarczyk J. E., Tang H., Weiss R., Siringan F. P., et al. (2018). Surf beat-induced overwash during Typhoon Haiyan deposited two distinct sediment assemblages on the carbonate coast of Hernani, Samar, central Philippines. Marine Geology. 396(Special Issue), 215-230.
Gouramanis, C., Switzer A., Jankaew K., Bristow C. S., Pham T D., & Ildefonso S. R. (2017). High-frequency Coastal Overwash Deposits from Phra Thong Island, Thailand. Scientific Reports. 7,
Meltzner, A. J., Switzer A., Horton B. P., Ashe E., Qiu Q., Hill D. F., et al. (2017). Half-metre sea-level fluctuations on centennial timescales from mid-Holocene corals of Southeast Asia. Nature Communications. 8(14387),
Pham, T D., Gouramanis C., Switzer A., Rubin C M., Jones B. G., Jankaew K., et al. (2017). Elemental and mineralogical analysis of marine and coastal sediments from Phra Thong Island, Thailand: Insights into the provenance of coastal hazard deposits. Marine Geology. 385, 274-282.
Soria, J. L. A., Switzer A., Pilarczyk J. E., Siringan F. P., Khan N. S., & Fritz H. M. (2017). Typhoon Haiyan overwash sediments from Leyte Gulf coastlines show local spatial variations with hybrid storm and tsunami signatures. Sedimentary Geology. 358, 121-138.
Murty, S. A., Goodkin N. F., Halide H., Natawidjaja D. H., Suwargadi B. W., Suprihanto I., et al. (2017). Climatic Influences on Southern Makassar Strait Salinity Over the Past Century. Geophysical Research Letters. 44(23), 11967-11975.
Chen, M., Boyle E. A., Lee J-M., Nurhati I. S., Zurbrick C., Switzer A., et al. (2016). Lead isotope exchange between dissolved and fluvial particulate matter: a laboratory study from the Johor River estuary. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A-Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences. 374(2081),
Lau, A. A. Y., Terry J. P., Ziegler A. D., Switzer A., Lee Y., & Etienne S. (2016). Understanding the history of extreme wave events in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia from large carbonate boulders on Makemo Atoll, with implications for future threats in the central South Pacific. Marine Geology. 380, 174-190.
Chen, M., Boyle E. A., Switzer A., & Gouramanis C. (2016). A century long sedimentary record of anthropogenic lead (Pb), Pb isotopes and other trace metals in Singapore. Environmental Pollution. 213, 446-459.
Chen, M., Goodkin N. F., Boyle E. A., Switzer A., & Bolton A. (2016). Lead in the western South China Sea: Evidence of atmospheric deposition and upwelling. Geophysical Research Letters. 43(9), 4490-4499.
Pilarczyk, J. E., Horton B. P., Soria J. L. A., Switzer A., Siringan F. P., Fritz H. M., et al. (2016). Micropaleontology of the 2013 Typhoon Haiyan deposit from the Leyte Gulf, Philippines.. Sedimentary Geology. 339, 104-114.
Soria, J. L. A., Switzer A., Villanoy C. L., Fritz H. M., Bilgera P. Hope T., Cabrera O. C., et al. (2016). Repeat Storm Surge Disasters of Typhoon Haiyan and Its 1897 Predecessor in the Philippines. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 97(1), 31-48.
Pile, J., Switzer A., Soria L., Siringan F., & Daag A. (2016). An Investigation of Recent Storm Histories Using Ground Penetrating Radar at Bay-Bay Spit, Bicol, Central Philippines. 16th International Conference on Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR).
Chua, S., Switzer A., & Chiam K. (2016). Quaternary Stratigraphy of the Kallang River Basin, Singapore. Underground Singapore 2016. 261-270.
Li, L., Switzer A., Chan C-H., Wang Y., Weiss R., & Qiu Q. (2016). How heterogeneous coseismic slip affects regional probabilistic tsunami hazard assessment: A case study in the South China Sea. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 121(8), 6250–6272.
Chen, M., Lee J-M., Nurhati I. S., Switzer A., & Boyle E. A. (2015). Isotopic record of lead in Singapore Straits during the last 50 years: Spatial and temporal variations. Marine Chemistry. 168, 49-59.
Yap, W., Lee Y., Gouramanis C., Switzer A., Yu F., Lau A. A. Y., et al. (2015). A historical typhoon database for the southern and eastern Chinese coastal regions, 1951 to 2012. Ocean & Coastal Management. 108(SI), 109-115.
Gouramanis, C., Switzer A., Polivka P. M., Bristow C. S., Jankaew K., Pham T D., et al. (2015). Ground penetrating radar examination of thin tsunami beds - A case study from Phra Thong Island, Thailand. Sedimentary Geology. 329, 149-165.
Li, L., Switzer A., Wang Y., Weiss R., Qiu Q., Chan C-H., et al. (2015). What caused the mysterious eighteenth century tsunami that struck the southwest Taiwan coast?. Geophysical Research Letters. 42(20), 8498-8506.
Paris, R., Switzer A., Belousova M., Belousov A., Ontowirjo B., Whelley P. L., et al. (2014). Volcanic tsunami: a review of source mechanisms, past events and hazards in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea). Natural Hazards. 70, 447-470.
Gouramanis, C., Switzer A., Bristow C. S., Jankaew K., Rubin C M., Pham T D., et al. (2014). Thin-bed Ground-Penetrating Radar analysis of preserved modern and palaeotsunami deposits from Phra Thong Island, Thailand. Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Ground Penetrating Radar.

Publications:

Ismail, N., Daly P., Switzer A., Afrizal T., & Horton B. P. (2020). Paleo-tsunami research along the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia: Science in the Covid-19 Pandemic. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting.
Chua, S., Switzer A., Shaw T. A., Khan N., & Horton B. P. (2019). Singapore Relative Sea-level History revealed from Holocene Mangrove Peats. 5th international Mangrove Macrobenthos and Management meeting (MMM5) 2019.
Chua, S., Switzer A., Horton B. P., Khan N., Bird M., & Rowe C. (2019). A Holocene sea level record for the far-field region of Singapore. 20th Congress of the International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA) .
Chua, S., Switzer A., Horton B. P., Bird M., Khan N., Shaw T. A., et al. (2018). Sea-Level and Coastal Evolution of the Kallang River Basin, Singapore. American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting 2018.
Majewski, J. M., Switzer A., Parham P. R., Bradley S. L., Pile J., Horton B. P., et al. (2017). Relative Sea Level Proxy Records From Fossil Coral Microatolls In Western Borneo, South China Sea: Sea-level Stability By 7 Ka And Possible Holocene Faulting.. Asia Oceania Geosciences Society 14th Annual Meeting.
Chua, S., Switzer A., Chiam K., Sieh K., & Rubin C. (2017). Quaternary Stratigraphy of the Kallang River Basin, Singapore. Asia Oceania Geosciences Society Conference 2017.
Chua, S., Switzer A., Chiam K., Sieh K., & Rubin C. (2017). A high-resolution geological model for central Sundaland: Quaternary Stratigraphy of the Kallang River Basin, Singapore. PAGES Past Global Changes.
Chua, S., & Switzer A. (2017). Late Quaternary Palaeoenvironment of the Kallang River Basin, Singapore : Preliminary results from Holocene Marine Clays. XRF Core Scanning Conference 2017.
Chua, S., Gouramanis C., Etchebes M., Tapponnier P., Klinger Y., Xu X., et al. (2016). Earthquake-bound ponded sediments as a high-resolution archive of Anthropocene climate in the arid Fuyun region of northwestern China. European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2016.

Earth Observatory of Singapore

You are here

Adam SWITZER

Phone:

Fax:

Email:

Office Location:

Additional Website:

Research Group:

Team:

Publications:

Pages

Publications:

Blog Post List:

Resource List:

News List:

Project List: