David Fairweather
- Position: Research Fellow
- Areas of expertise: Fibre optic seismology; geophysical field methods.
- Email: D.M.Fairweather@leeds.ac.uk
- Website: LinkedIn | ORCID
Profile
I graduated from a PhD in Geophysics and Geology at the University of Edinburgh in 2025. My doctoral research was an investigation of a novel fibre sensing method using submarine telecommunications cables for the purposes of seismic detection. I used data acquired from an in situ cable crossing the North Atlantic to attribute signals to seismic events and environmental phenomena. I also carried out controlled experiments on cable samples to constrain the response of such a sensor. In 2020, I graduated with a first class BSc in Geophysics and Meteorology, also from the University of Edinburgh.
I started a PDRA at Leeds in February 2026 as part of the SmartRes project. I am looking to use distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) data to understand geothermal test sites in the UK. I am interested in emerging fibre technologies for the purposes of seismic and environmental monitoring, particularly with applications to the energy transition.
Research interests
- Applications of fibre sensing for seismic and environmental monitoring
- Field methods for fibre optic seismology
- The energy transition