Staff Profile
Dr Chris Sknner
Lecturer of Geography
I joined YSJU in 2026 as a Lecturer in Geography. My primary interests are in game-based approaches in geosciences, particularly at the nexus of games and numerical modelling. Games can be 'playable systems' and help us make sense of the world, as well as being powerful pedagogical and communication tools. As a river scientist by background, with specialisms in geomorphology and hydrology, my work has a focus on flood risk and resilience.
Before joining YSJU, I was a Senior Technical Advisor at the Environment Agency, part of the Flood Hydrology Improvements Programme (2021-2025). Before that, I was a Research Fellow in Flood Resilience at the University of Hull's Energy and Environment Institute (2019-2021), where I founded and ran the Earth Arcade project.
I have a PhD in Hydrometeorology from the University of Hull (awarded 2013). I am a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and a member of the European Geoscience Union and the British Hydrological Society. I am a member of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) for the UK's 25-year Flood Hydrology Roadmap.
- School – School of Humanities
- Email – c.skinner@yorksj.ac.uk
Further information
Teaching
I contribute to the teaching across the Geography undergraduate programmes with a focus on physical and environmental geography. I lead modules covering geomorphology, environmental hazards, and river management.
My teaching style is research-led, creative, and practical. I make use of my operational experience in flood hydrology to relate the latest environmental research to real-world issues and solutions. Employability and skills are a strong focus in my teaching, developing critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills. I make extensive use of game-based approaches across my modules.
Research
I have a broad portfolio of research activity that has covered topics of numerical modelling, geomorphology, flood risk, and science communication.
Since returning to academia, my research focus has been on the use of game-based approaches to support numerical modelling activities. This includes:
- supporting modellers to better identify and communicate the limitations of their models
- supporting non-modeller decision-makers better understand the validity and limits of modelled evidence
- supporting the increase of model literacy in the general public
Publications
Academic Articles
Wolstenholme, J. M., Skinner, C. J., Milan, D., Thomas, R. E., and Parsons, D. R., 2025. Localised geomorphic response to channel-spanning leaky wooden dams. Earth Surface Dynamics. 13, 647–663, doi:10.5194/esurf-13-647-2025
Wolstenholme, J. M., Skinner, C. J., Milan, D., Thomas, R. E., and Parsons, D. R., 2025. Hydro-geomorphological modelling of leaky wooden dam efficacy from reach to catchment scale with CAESAR-Lisflood 1.9j. Geoscience Model Development. 18, 1395–1411, doi:10.5194/gmd-18-1395-2025
Parsons, K., Lloyd Williams, A., and Skinner, C. 2024. Using 360 immersive storytelling to engage communities with flood risk. Geographical Research. doi:10.1111/1745-5871.12682
Skinner, C. J., and Coulthard, T. J., 2023. Testing the sensitivity of the CAESAR-Lisflood landscape evolution model to grid cell size. Earth Surface Dynamics. 11, 695–711, doi:10.5194/esurf-11-695-2023
Ramirez, J. A., Mertin, M., Peleg, N., Horton, P., Skinner, C., Zimmerman, M., and Keiler, M., 2022. Modelling the long-term geomorphic response to check dam failures in an alpine channel with CAESAR-Lisflood. International Journal of Sediment Research. 37, 5, doi:10.1016/j/ijrsc.2022.04.005
Peleg, N., Skinner, C., Ramirez, J. A., and Molnar, P., 2021. Rainfall spatial-heterogeneity accelerates landscape evolution processes. Geomorphology. 390, doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2021.107863
Skinner, C., Peleg, N., Quinn, N., Coulthard, T., Molnar, P., and Freer, J., 2020. The impact of different rainfall products on landscape modelling simulations. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. doi:10.1002/esp.4894
Peleg, N., Skinner, C., Fatichi, S., and Molnar, P., 2020. Temperature effects on the spatial structure of heavy rainfall modify catchment hydro-morphological response. Earth Surface Dynamics. 8, 17-36, doi:10.5194/esurf-2019-44
Skinner, C., and Stanford, K., 2020. Games for Geoscience. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment. 1, 188, doi:10.1038/s43017-020-0043-0
Skinner, C., 2020. Flash Flood!: A SeriousGeoGame activity combining science festivals, video games, and virtual reality with research data for communicating flood risk and geomorphology. Geoscience Communication. 3, 1-17, doi:10.5194/gc-2019-8
Flack, D. L. A., Skinner, C. J., Harkness-Smith, L., O’Donnell, G., Thompson, R. J., Waller, J. A., Chen, A. S., Moloney, J., Largeron, C., Xia, X., Blenkinsop, S., Champion, A. J., Perks, M. T., Quinn, N., and Speight, L. J., 2019. Recommendations for Improving Integration in National End-to-End Flood Forecasting Systems: An Overview of the FFIR (Flooding from Intense Rainfall) Programme. Water. 11(4),725 doi:10.3390/w11040725
Hut. R., Albers, C., Illingworth, S., and Skinner, C., 2019. Taking a Breath of the Wild: are geoscientists more effective than non-geoscientists in determining whether video game world landscapes are realistic? Geoscience Communication. 2, 117-124, doi:10.5194/gc-2-117-2019
Skinner, C. J., Coulthard, T. J., Schwanghart, W., Van De Wiel, M. J., and Hancock, G., 2018. Global sensitivity analysis of parameter uncertainty in landscape evolution models, Geoscientific Model Development. 11, 4873-4888. doi:10.5194/gmd-11-4873-2018
Robins, P. E., Lewis, M. J., Freer, J., Cooper, D. M., Skinner, C. J., and Coulthard, T. J., 2018. Improving estuary models by reducing uncertainties associated with river flows. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 207, 63-73. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2018.02.015
Skinner, C., 2018. Riding the (flood) wave: The Flash Flood! Desktop application. Teaching Geography. 43, 1, 28-31
Skinner, C., and Milan, D., 2018. Flash flooding: Visualising the impacts. Geography Review. 31, 4
Coulthard, T. J., and Skinner, C. J., 2016. The sensitivity of landscape evolution models to spatial and temporal rainfall resolution. Earth Surface Dynamics. 4, 757-771. doi: 10.5194/esurf-4-757-2016
Ramirez, J. A., Lichter, M., Coulthard, T. J., and Skinner C., 2016. Hyper-resolution mapping of regional storm surge and tide flooding: comparison of static and dynamic models. Natural Hazards, 82(1), 571-590. doi:10.1007/s11069-016-2198-z
Skinner, C. J., Coulthard, T. J., Parsons, D. R., Ramirez, J. A., Mullen, L., and Manson, S., 2015. Simulating tidal and storm surge hydraulics with a simple 2D inertia based model, in the Humber Estuary, UK. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 155, 126-136. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2015.01.019
Skinner, C. J., Bellerby, T. J., Greatrex, H., and Grimes, D. I. F., 2015. Hydrological modelling using ensemble satellite rainfall estimates in a sparsely gauged basin: The need for whole-ensemble calibration. Journal of Hydrology, 522, 110-122
Personal activities
I am a Fellow of Royal Geographical Society and an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. I am a member of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) for the UK's 25-year Flood Hydrology Roadmap.
I founded Games for Geoscience in 2018 and am lead convenor of the associated science session at the annual General Assembly of the European Geoscience Union in Vienna. This includes hosting the extremely popular Geoscience Games Night.
I have memberships of the European Geoscience Union and the British Hydrological Society. I have served as a trustee for the British Hydrological Society (2021-2024) and the British Society for Geomorphology (2018-2021).
I am a keen science communicator and have led exhibits at events and festivals, including the British, Manchester, and Hull Science Festivals, Hull's Freedom Festival, and at London's Science Museum, Natural History Museum, and Royal Society. I have given public lectures at Cafe Scientifique (Beverley), Pint of Science (Hull), Cuppa Science (online), and at the Natural History Museum. I have provided expert commentary for the BBC Weather Programme, ITV News, and the BBC Radio 4 programme 'I, by tide of Humber'.
