Gerard graduated with a BSc in Geology from University College Cork in 2015. He has since completed an MSc in Applied Coastal and Marine Management from UCC in 2017. Thereafter, he joined the Marine Geology Research Group in 2018 under the supervision of Prof Andy Wheeler and Dr. Aaron Lim. A common theme throughout Gerard’s academic career is the use of GIS technology to determine the ecosystem drivers that sculpt environments. During his bachelor’s degree he completed a dissertation, using GIS to map the geology of the Slieve Mish Mountains, a landscape defined by complex processes that span immense timescales. Continuing in this vein, Gerard turned his gaze to mapping more contemporary events in the marine realm, and as part of his master’s degree Gerard created a habitat suitability map for cold-water corals.