Name: Dr Luke O Reilly

Position: Post-doctoral researcher

Office: Research Office, Top Floor, Department of Geography

Email Address: LOReilly@ucc.ie

Biography

Luke holds a PhD from the Department of Geology at University College Cork, where he conducted the research project "Understanding Key Geological Processes and Controls on Cold-water Coral Habitat Development in Submarine Canyons". This work combined innovative sedimentological analysis (3D-segmented CT modelling) with traditional sedimentological methods (PSA, benthic foraminifera, isotopic analysis) to understand deep-sea Special Areas of Conservation. After completing his PhD, he joined Green Rebel as a marine geophysicist, specializing in processing and delivering spatial datasets (SSS, MBES, MAG) for offshore wind farm development projects. Eventually becoming spatial data lead, his role supported seafloor mapping, geohazard assessment, and the preparation of deliverables for engineering and permitting activities within the ORE sector. 

He subsequently pivoted to an operational role within the Green Rebel MetOcean division, where he accrued experience offshore, leading the installation of surface buoys and seafloor monitoring systems for ORE projects. Onshore, he gained critical expertise in the maintenance of this equipment as well as the end-to-end management of the data. During this time, he became an industry expert in data pertaining to ocean waves and ocean currents. 

Research Interests

• Improving offshore survey methods
• Paleoenvironmental reconstructions using ocean cores
• Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs)
• Capturing ocean waves