BSc.Hons. (HKU), MPhil. (HKU), PhD (NUS)
Dr Annie Lau joined UQ in 2016. Her primary research interest is 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. In her recent project, Annie used 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. Coastal geomorphology and late Quaternary sea-level change were also examined at study sites, to investigate extreme-wave processes on different kinds of coastlines.
Terry, James P., Lau, A.Y. Annie, Nguyen, Kim Anh, Liou, Yuei-An and Switzer, Adam D. (2021). Clustered, stacked and imbricated large coastal rock clasts on Ludao Island, southeast Taiwan, and their application to palaeotyphoon intensity assessment. Frontiers in Earth Science, 9 792369. doi: 10.3389/feart.2021.792369
Journal Article: How do post-disaster policies influence household-level recovery? A case study of the 2010-11 Canterbury earthquake sequence, New Zealand
He, Lulu, Dominey-Howes, Dale, Aitchison, Jonathan C., Lau, Annie and Conradson, David (2021). How do post-disaster policies influence household-level recovery? A case study of the 2010-11 Canterbury earthquake sequence, New Zealand. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 60 102274, 102274. doi: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102274
Journal Article: Giant palaeotsunami in Kiribati: converging evidence from geology and oral history
Terry, James P., Karoro, Robert, Gienko, Gennady A., Wieczorek, Marta and Lau, A. Y. Annie (2021). Giant palaeotsunami in Kiribati: converging evidence from geology and oral history. Island Arc, 30 (1) e12417, 1-18. doi: 10.1111/iar.12417
Finding the sources of tsunamis in Southwest Pacific: A case study on Niuatoputapu, Tonga
(2022–2025) Australia & Pacific Science Foundation
(2018–2020) UQ Early Career Researcher
Ancient cyclone hunting on the Central Queensland coast: reconstructing storm history from sediments
Master Philosophy
Palaeotsunamis in Antofagasta region, northern Chile
Doctor Philosophy
An analysis and characterization of coastal landslide occurrence and hazard and assessment of its potential impact in southeastern Queensland
Doctor Philosophy
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.
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
Spatial patterns of subaerial coarse clasts
Lau, A.Y. Annie and Autret, Ronan (2020). Spatial patterns of subaerial coarse clasts. Geological Records of Tsunamis and Other Extreme Waves. (pp. 513-546) Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-12-815686-5.00024-9
Terry, James P., Lau, A.Y. Annie, Nguyen, Kim Anh, Liou, Yuei-An and Switzer, Adam D. (2021). Clustered, stacked and imbricated large coastal rock clasts on Ludao Island, southeast Taiwan, and their application to palaeotyphoon intensity assessment. Frontiers in Earth Science, 9 792369. doi: 10.3389/feart.2021.792369
He, Lulu, Dominey-Howes, Dale, Aitchison, Jonathan C., Lau, Annie and Conradson, David (2021). How do post-disaster policies influence household-level recovery? A case study of the 2010-11 Canterbury earthquake sequence, New Zealand. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 60 102274, 102274. doi: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102274
Giant palaeotsunami in Kiribati: converging evidence from geology and oral history
Terry, James P., Karoro, Robert, Gienko, Gennady A., Wieczorek, Marta and Lau, A. Y. Annie (2021). Giant palaeotsunami in Kiribati: converging evidence from geology and oral history. Island Arc, 30 (1) e12417, 1-18. doi: 10.1111/iar.12417
Yan, Shuang, Zhao, Jian‐xin, Lau, A.Y. Annie, Roff, George, Leonard, Nicole D., Clark, Tara R., Nguyen, Ai D., Feng, Yue‐xing, Wei, Gangjian, Deng, Wenfeng and Chen, Xuefei (2019). Episodic reef growth in the northern South China Sea linked to warm climate during the past 7000 years: potential for future coral refugia. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 124 (4) 2018JG004939, 1032-1043. doi: 10.1029/2018jg004939
Lau, A. Y. Annie, Terry, James P., Ziegler, Alan, Pratap, Arti and Harris, Daniel (2018). Boulder emplacement and remobilisation by cyclone and submarine landslide tsunami waves near Suva City, Fiji. Sedimentary Geology, 364, 242-257. doi: 10.1016/j.sedgeo.2017.12.017
Terry, J. P. and Lau, A. Y. A. (2018). Magnitudes of nearshore waves generated by tropical cyclone Winston, the strongest landfalling cyclone in South Pacific records. Unprecedented or unremarkable?. Sedimentary Geology, 364, 276-285. doi: 10.1016/j.sedgeo.2017.10.009
Soria, Janneli Lea A., Switzer, Adam D., Pilarczyk, Jessica E., Tang, Hui, Weiss, Robert, Siringan, Fernando, Manglicmot, Michelle, Gallentes, Adonis, Lau, A.Y. Annie, Cheong, Amanda Yee Lin and Koh, Tracy Wei Ling (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, 215-230. doi: 10.1016/j.margeo.2017.08.016
Incorporating “virtual” and “real world” field trips into introductory geography modules
Friess, Daniel A., Oliver, Grahame J. H., Quak, Michelle S. Y. and Lau, Annie Y. A. (2016). Incorporating “virtual” and “real world” field trips into introductory geography modules. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 40 (4), 546-564. doi: 10.1080/03098265.2016.1174818
Lau, A. Y. Annie, Terry, James P., Ziegler, Alan D., Switzer, Adam D., Lee, Yingsin and Etienne, Samuel (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. doi: 10.1016/j.margeo.2016.04.018
A historical typhoon database for the southern and eastern Chinese coastal regions, 1951 to 2012
Yap, Wenshu, Lee, Yingsin, Gouramanis, Chris, Switzer, Adam D., Yu, Fengling, Lau, An Yi Annie and Terry, James P. (2015). A historical typhoon database for the southern and eastern Chinese coastal regions, 1951 to 2012. Ocean and Coastal Management, 108, 109-115. doi: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2014.05.024
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
Legaspi, Kenoses, Lau, A. Y. Annie, Jordan, Phil, Mackay, Anson, Mcgowan, Suzanne, Mcglynn, Gayle, Baldia, Susana, Donne Papa, Rey and Taylor, David (2015). Establishing the impacts of freshwater aquaculture in tropical Asia: the potential role of palaeolimnology. Geo: Geography and Environment, 2 (2), 148-163. doi: 10.1002/geo2.13
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
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
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
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.
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.
Finding the sources of tsunamis in Southwest Pacific: A case study on Niuatoputapu, Tonga
(2022–2025) Australia & Pacific Science Foundation
(2018–2020) UQ Early Career Researcher
Ancient cyclone hunting on the Central Queensland coast: reconstructing storm history from sediments
Master Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
Palaeotsunamis in Antofagasta region, northern Chile
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
An analysis and characterization of coastal landslide occurrence and hazard and assessment of its potential impact in southeastern Queensland
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.
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.