Dr Eleanor Starkey

Research Fellow

School: Geography and Natural Sciences

I joined Northumbria University in January 2023 as a Research Fellow. I have specialised in hydrology, flood risk management, hydrometric monitoring, modelling, community/stakeholder involvement (socio-hydrology), citizen science and nature-based methods inside and outside academia since 2010.

As part of my PhD (2013-2017) I explored the feasibility, reliability, value and sustainability of citizen science in catchment (river) science and utilised community-based data to influence a natural flood management scheme. These experiences have fuelled my enthusiasm for working with communities and wider stakeholders to ensure environmental projects are meaningful, relevant and transferable to people and practice on the ground.

Having started my career as a Physical Scientist and Engineer, I also integrate innovative communication and engagement tools, and social science methods, into my work. I regularly collect and use community-based datasets to enhance traditional practices and fill data gaps.

Since joining Northumbria University, I have been working on the community-led sustainable drainage (SuDS) research project. SuDS+ (https://stanleysuds.co.uk) is a five-year project funded by Defra’s Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme. SuDS+ is creating community-led solutions that go beyond traditional water infrastructure. This is being achieved by de-prioritising flooding as the primary driver, and instead designing solutions which are led by the true needs of local people. A SuDS+ approach therefore has the potential to catalyse sustainable urban design by delivering multiple wider benefits (‘+’), whilst increasing flood resilience.

Other active projects:

UpStream: Community-led monitoring to improve water quality in the UK and Taiwan. https://research.ncl.ac.uk/upstream/
Acomb citizen science: continuous hydrometric monitoring with community flood and planning groups.

Follow this link to view previous projects and outputs: https://linktr.ee/Starkeyele

Email Eleanor

Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Are water-related nature-based solutions (NbS) assessed for their full multi-benefit potential? A review from an urban perspective, Dubois, E., Loghmani-Khouzani, T., Ottaviani, S., Serrao, L., Starkey, E. 3 Dec 2025, In: Sustainability Nexus Forum
Maximising urban resilience using sustainable drainage systems (SuDS): Making the case for community-led urban water management, Starkey, E., Rollason, E., Cotterill, S., Sreenivas, P., Bracken, L. 1 Nov 2025, In: Land Use Policy
Resident Perceptions of Flood Risk, Civic Responsibility, and Community Action: Pre-Intervention Survey Dataset, Carter, A., Starkey, E. 3 Oct 2025
Practicalities of community-led continuous water quality monitoring: lessons from Taiwan and UK pilots, Starkey, E., Jones, A., Ochoa-Rodriguez, S., Mahajan, S., Wei, C., Chen, P., Liu, S., Wang, L., Walsh, C. 25 Jul 2024, In: Frontiers in Environmental Science

Further Information

Previous positions:

Tyne Rivers Trust - Catchment Project Manager

National Green Infrastructure Facility, Newcastle University - Research Associate

JBA Consulting - Analyst (Hydrologist and Natural Flood Management specialist)

RAB Consultants - Assistant Environmental Consultant.

Weetwood - Technical Engineer.

Previous projects (and funder):

North East Catchments Hub (Northumbrian Water)

UpStream community-led continuous water quality monitoring (ESRC)

PYRAMID: Platform for dYnamic, hyper-resolution, near-real time flood Risk AssessMent Integrating repurposed and novel Data sources (NERC)

National Green Infrastructure Extreme Event Swale (UKCRIC, UKRI)

Yorkshire Natural Flood Management (Environment Agency)

Haltwhistle Burn citizen science (PhD: NERC and Tyne Rivers Trust)

Memberships:

British Hydrological Society

CIWEM - Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (graduate membership)

Media & other impact:

Nature-based solutions (cities) at COP26

Haltwhistle flood protection scheme inspired by children's game Kerplunk

Holding back the flood

How families living in flood-risk parts of the North East could play key role in future prevention

Storm chasers: The scientists trying to combat flooding (BBC News, BBC World)

Addressing flood risk through city-University collaborations (UK Universities Climate Network)

REF2021 Impact Case Study - Natural Flood Management using Runoff Attenuation Features

Watertight Solutions: Engaging communities in developing targeted sustainable urban drainage schemes

Publications:

See Eleanor Starkey Google Scholar

Qualifications

BSc Physical Geography, Newcastle University (First class)
MSc Hydrology & Climate Change, Newcastle University (Distinction)
PhD Civil Engineering, Newcastle University (Community-based ('citizen science') monitoring for catchment characterisation, modelling and management)