Stephen is an Associate Professorin civil engineering at University of Galway. Hegraduated from Trinity College Dublin (TCD) in 1997 with a 1st class honours degree in Civil Engineering andthen spent two further years there completing a research Mastersin coastal water quality modelling. He moved to Galway in 1999 and worked as a Project Engineer with Aquafact International Services Ltd before taking up a role as lecturer at University of Galway in 2002. He obtained his PhD in ocean modelling in 2010.Stephen teaches a number of hydraulicwater engineering modules at undergraduate and postgraduate level and wasprogramme director for the MSc in Water Resources Engineering. His research expertise is the numerical and physical modelling of surface water bodies with particular focus on the modelling of tidal currents, waves, water quality, coastal flooding, tidalwave energy and aquaculture. He leads the Marine Modelling Groupand is a research leader in the universitys Galways Ryan Institute for Environmental, Marine and Energy Research and in MaREI, the SFI-funded national centre for energy, climate and marine research.

Main research areas include:Stephens research expertise lies in physical and computer modelling of surface waterbodies (rivers, lakes, estuaries, seas and oceans) including topics such as:- hydrodynamic modelling (e.g. tides, storm surge, waves)- water quality modelling (e.g. nutrients, sediment, algae)-aquaculture modelling (e.g. hydrodynamics, sea lice, jellyfish)-wavetidal energy (e.g. resource assessment, device impacts)- coastal flooding (e.g. flood inundation, urban flooding)- CFD modelling of hydraulic systems (e.g. tidal turbines, drinking water reservoirs, sewers) To date, he has completed 30+ research projects funded by national and EU agencies and industry. Hehas published 50+ peer-reviewed journal papers and and 40+ peer-reviewed conference papers. He has graduated 7 PhDs and 2 research Mastersand is currently supervising a further 4 PhDs. The quality of his research has been recognised nationally and internationally with awards for research excellence and innovation from Engineers Ireland, theInstitute of Civil Engineers (UK) and the Irish Marine Industry.

Stephen teaches a number of undergraduate and postgraduate modules in the areas of engineering design, civil engineering hydraulics; sustainable energy; waterbody modelling and water resources.Stephen is a strong advocate of engaged and active learning using methods such as peer instruction, clicker technology and group projects and has been nominated for the NUI Galway Presidents Award for Teaching Excellence on three occasions.