Conflict, corpses and thrissels: materialising community and countering crisis in Scotland and its diaspora, c. 1570 – 1650

This thesis examines objects and performances produced by early modern Scottish people, both at home and within diasporic networks, to materialise community in response to past, present and potential crises. Impending crisis was a near-constant feature of Scottish life. The Reformation of 1560 demanded profound socio-cultural change and, in the following decades, the populace experienced social fracture from ongoing confessional division and civil wars. At the dynastic level, the minority of James VI potentiated political crisis - two of his regents were murdered. In later years, the much-anticipated Union of the Crowns developed new anxieties for the Stuarts as they established their rule south of the border and governed Scotland from a distance. Meantime, political and religious after-shocks from the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots continued to reverberate into the seventeenth century. An attempt by Charles I to promote closer religious union between his kingdoms sparked the Bishops’ Wars. Although brief, these conflicts catalysed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, eventually costing the King his thrones and his head. In a challenge to prevailing art-historical opinion, this thesis proposes that the material-cultural responses Scottish people made to these tumultuous events were both sophisticated and multi-faceted. Indeed, such was their potency that, within the diaspora, emigres continued to draw on Scottish forms, precedents and conceptions of extended kinship. Ubiquitous and flexible, these modes of expression were available to kings and merchants, men and women, Catholics and Protestants, who used them to hybridise the forms they found abroad. The discussion ranges from funeral processions, tombs and posthumous portraits to banners, stained-glass windows, communion cups and popular print. Well-known public sites and items drawn from major institutional collections are analysed alongside overlooked material evidence, as well as revenant objects retrieved and reconstructed from primary sources and antiquarian literature. In support, the thesis calls upon various types of contemporary writing: personal letters, epitaphs, broadsides, account books and a spiritual diary. These documents provide insights into the motivations of patrons and reception by viewers, thereby casting light on the influence exerted by Scottish cultural forms at home and in the diaspora. Building on and enriching the socio-political histories of Scottish bonding, themes of extended kinship, community and memorialisation run through the work, parallel to a sustained exploration of the role of mass-production in their propagation. The thesis opens in Edinburgh, where Chapter One re-examines the memorialisation of the Regent Moray. It argues that, even amidst civil war, and as his murder threatened the future of reform, Moray was sacralised and portrayed as the father of a unified, Protestant nation. Shifting to London and Antwerp, Chapter Two considers delayed memorials for Mary, Queen of Scots, made in reaction to the Union of the Crowns. Demonstrating that portraiture was key to this phase of memory construction, it holds that these portraits referenced Scottish cultural practices and forms. Furthermore, exposure of embedded appeals to disparate social groups supports an argument that patrons manipulated portrayals of the Queen for a variety of political purposes. Chapter Three concentrates on the staple port at Veere, where it builds a picture of enduring Scottish identity in a diasporic community. Contending that the twin concepts of bonding and extended kinship, fundamental to Scottish society, were retained as a reference frame at the port, it demonstrates their materialisation, in support of Covenanter community, as the Second Bishop’s War loomed. Finally, Chapter Four returns to the British Isles and Eikon Basilike, the memorial book of Charles I. It maintains that, drawing on the methods of Scottish propagandists, the book was enabled to materialise Royalist community as a mass-produced relic. In closing, connections to a tradition of posthumous portraiture employed in Scotland support the idea that the book joined Charles to a hagiography of Protestant Stuarts, begun in Edinburgh and extending back to the early years of Reformation. This thesis relocates Scottish material culture as a vital force in an international network of exchange, demonstrating that ideas and modes of expression, carried out of Scotland with the diaspora, informed sites, images and objects far beyond its borders. Its significance lies in revealing that, even in the face of apparently insurmountable disunity, Scottish material culture retained a great capacity for giving physical form to unifying ideas

Animation education in Scotland: a framework for training environments and individual growth

The Animation sector in Scotland relies on a successful collaboration between industry and the educational bodies who provide the training and background for the workforce. Over the past twenty years, this has often been strained due to changes in both sectors each facing their own challenges. A lack of consistency in this relationship has resulted in difficulty for students when identifying development pathways and contributes to potential ability gaps when graduating, making the transition into industry challenging. The purpose of this practice-based research is to scrutinise the ways in which industry and education have collaborated within Scottish animation and propose a framework for education which can develop a resilient, future facing, cohort. Exploring this research using a rhizomatic methodological approach, this research engaged with a number of interviews across industry and education perspectives and studied literature from sporting domains in order to work towards an appropriate solution. Through the sporting lens of a development environment, both industry and education will be established in macro and microenvironments to better understand their impact on individuals training within the medium. With an environment suitable for Scottish animation established, animation pedagogy will then be examined and a more holistic approach with emphasis on an animator’s mindset will be proposed. This thesis outlines infrastructural proposals in response to the research and discusses ways in which shared knowledge with sporting domains can impact positive change to development pathways in Scottish animation. Alongside the research, an animated documentary will be presented to act as provocation for discussion and also as an autoethnographic research on approaching practice. The overall aim of this doctorate will be to present a tangible method that will see a more cohesive network between industry and education, contributing original research to the pedagogical approaches to animation practice and theory

The textual tradition of Romans in the Greek lectionaries (9th–13th century)

Adding to the intricate NT textual tapestry that has been woven over the last two millennia, we encounter the Greek lectionaries. These books, which are laden with liturgical and textual complexities, were one of the primary carriers of the biblical text in the context of the Byzantine Church. As such, they comprise almost half of the extant witnesses to the Greek NT. Despite the vast number of lectionaries, they have been largely neglected by NT textual scholarship. Consequently, little is known about their text and structure. In this study, I delve into the text of Romans transmitted in 71 Greek lectionaries dated from the ninth to the thirteenth century to improve our understanding of this tradition. The main question proposed by this investigation concerns the state of the text of Romans in the lectionaries. The lectionaries, however, exhibit numerous complexities. For this reason, matters besides the text must precede the textual inquiry. Thus, this study begins in the Introduction with a broader approach that attempts to contextualize the lectionaries in their proper setting in the Byzantine Church. As such, the Introduction seeks to clarify the (confusing) issue of lectionary terminology and explore the subject of lectionary structure. On the one hand, lectionary terminology needs to be addressed because it determines how one refers to the content and structure of the lectionaries. On the other hand, lectionary structure must be carefully considered because of textual alterations occasioned by liturgical modifications to the biblical text. Besides being relevant for NTTC, the discussions of lectionary terminology and structure are also significant for other disciplines, especially liturgical studies. Thus, although the central question of this study concerns the text of Romans in the lectionaries, it is hoped that this investigation will illuminate other debated or unresolved issues in lectionary studies. After the Introduction, I briefly outline methods available to determine the textual character of NT MSS, focusing especially on the methods adopted in recent lectionary investigations and what method the present research follows. This study is more comprehensive than previous ones since it relies on the collation of full texts instead of selected test passages only. This extensive collation is presented in a textual apparatus. The central question of the study is approached from three main directions: the text of Romans within the lectionary tradition, in relation to the text transmitted in the continuous text tradition as preserved in 56 witnesses, and in relation to three editions: NA28, the 2005 edition prepared by Maurice A. Robinson and William G. Pierpont, and the Greek text edited by Antoniades in 1904 and currently published by the Apostoliki Diakonia. By including these three editions, it is possible to gain insights into the text of the lectionaries in relation to the reconstructed initial text of the NT (the Ausgangstext), the text of the majority of continuous text witnesses, and the text of the Greek Orthodox Church. Among several conclusions, this initial investigation shows that from the ninth to the thirteenth century, the lectionaries transmit a highly stable text of Romans. With a few exceptions, the surveyed MSS largely preserve the late form of the Byzantine text. At the same time, the witnesses display significant discrepancies with the text transmitted in the continuous text tradition of the Byzantine period. The lectionaries also show substantial incongruencies within the lectionary tradition, so that the text transmitted by the lectionaries is not as monolithic as one might presume. This investigation, therefore, represents one more step in advancing our understanding of the NT in its late Byzantine form. Besides these and other findings, this study makes several contributions to the disciplines of NTTC. To name a few, this exploration identifies pairs and clusters of lectionaries, as well as representatives of the Majority text of the lectionaries. It also provides a wealth of data laid out in the appendices. Moreover, this investigation makes contributions in the field of liturgical studies, especially by explaining the development of the weekday reading cycle of the epistles

Complex pipeline analysis using sparse synthetic data

Large scale metrology measuring methods for assembly structures that are prone to change have revolved around manual measurements. Lately, using digital methods for capturing the dimensions of a large structure have seen worthwhile gains in manufacturing, maintenance, and decommissioning stages. One of the major obstacles in this approach is the existing high reliance on human operators to gain insightful information from the raw digital data obtained. Frequently this digital data requires further human operator processing to assimilate the information needed for assembly deviations. There is an increasing need for utilising the data in a digital format by capturing a digital representation of the physical model. Having a digital model expedites compliance checking for potential conflicting parts earlier in the manufacturing processes found in large scale metrology. Frequently, this would require a point cloud scan of the scene once the project is completed, followed by a varied amount of manual operator steps to infer the characteristics derived from the as-built. Currently, the field of as-is pipeline comparison to the computer aided design (CAD) and building information modelling (BIM) assemblies during installation is underdeveloped. The majority of assembly deviations are not inspected preventing minor rework. This lack of pipeline comparison accumulates into major rework at later stages in the assembly process which necessitates more costly resources when correcting them. Recently, evolution has been centred around automation of scene interpretation from three-dimensional (3D) scan data. The primary scope of this work is to assess assemblies as the pipeline installation process progresses (as-is pipeline) and inferring if arising deviations are problematic (complex task). The adequacy of utilising unorganised point clouds to compliance check are trialled with a real life down-scaled prototype pipeline model in conjunction with a synthetic dataset created for this deep learning task. This work aims to highlight areas where large rework could be avoided, in part by the detection of potential clashes of components early in the pipeline installation process which could be remedied by minor rework. With the help of an extracted model in the form of a point cloud generated from a scanned physical model and a 3D CAD model representing the nominal geometry, an operator could be made visually aware of potential deviations and component clashes during a pipeline assembly process. Secondly, the workflow devised enables automation for operators when compli-ance checking and reduces the manual input that is needed. This enables more fluid visualisations of the components in 3D space during the pipeline installation assembly without operator intervention. Sparse training data is a common issue when training deep learning models. Frequently, this requires manual human operators to gather large datasets where supervised learning models require additional human labelling. During this work, the contribution addressing as-is pipeline comparison which enable automation for operators when assembling have been outlined. The creation of a synthetic dataset for the training of a digital classification pipeline model has been trialled to benchmark the effectiveness of the approach (not requiring expensive human dataset creation and labelling)

Towards a high-precision description of resonances through lattice simulations

Resonances play a significant role in the phenomenology of the Standard Model. For example, many hadronic resonances are found in flavour-physics processes, which can be central to New Physics searches. The realistic determination of resonance parameters is an important step in the direction of understanding such phenomena. First-principles quantum chromodynamics (QCD) computations using lattice approaches have developed in the last two decades to the point where physical quark masses can now be directly employed. In this context, studying the dynamical properties of QCD, such as scattering amplitudes and resonances, has been challenging, but the development of nite-volume and computational techniques has made it feasible. In this work, we perform the first calculation of K*(892) and p(770) resonance parameters at physical quark masses with a reliable estimate of systematic uncertainties. This is done on a single domain-wall Nf = 2 + 1 RBC-UKQCD ensemble at the physical point. We begin by describing the phenomenological aspects of the strong interaction and the underlying quantum field theory. The algorithmic aspect of lattice QCD using the Monte Carlo method and the description of angular momentum on a cubic spatial lattice are reviewed. Next, we cover the formal groundwork of finitevolume quantum field theory that allows the extraction of scattering amplitudes from lattice observables. Determining the low-energy spectra is a key goal of lattice QCD. Using the developed open-source distillation library based on Grid and Hadrons, we compute finite-volume correlators on the physical-point ensemble. We construct a basis of operators to study ππ and Kπ scattering in the relevant channels. This involves using a generalised eigenvalue problem to compute optimised hadronic interpolators and obtain finite-volume energy levels. Finally, the optimised correlator data is used to extract scattering phase shifts and model-averaged p(770) and K*(892) resonance parameters via finite-volume effects

An integrated computational-experimental approach to identify and optimise drug therapy for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, affecting more than one in four people, and is the leading indication for liver transplantation. Disease progression to cirrhosis and liver-related outcomes is highly variable and there is a lack of prognostic biomarkers and pharmacological interventions. Therefore, MASLD represents a public health and precision medicine challenge. In this project, I have used bioinformatic approaches to study dysregulated gene expression and molecular pathways in MASLD, and identify potential prognostic signatures and new therapeutic targets. First, I performed a comprehensive analysis of gene expression patterns across the MASLD histological spectrum, including exploration of gender-specific differences. For this, I used SteatoSITE, a retrospective pan-Scotland MASLD cohort that comprises detailed histological assessments, bulk hepatic RNA-sequencing, and clinical data linkage through electronic health records and national datasets. Bioinformatic analysis identified a 15-gene signature to predict hepatic decompensation events in patients with advanced MASLD. Then, using the gene expression data obtained across the MASLD spectrum, I identified, in silico, several compounds that could act as potential stage-specific treatments. Finally, I characterised a 3D in vitro model to induce a MASLD phenotype using human stem cells. This 3D spheroid model required differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into hepatocytes, hepatic stellate cells and endothelial cells. The model was characterised through assessment of steatotic, inflammatory, and fibrotic markers and was compared to the MASLD phenotypes of the patients present in SteatoSITE. In summary, I used a data-driven approach to perform a molecular subclassification of MASLD that will enable improved outcome prediction and treatment stratification

Investigating the genetic architecture of complex traits in Soay sheep

The science of quantitative genetics aims to understand how genetics influences variation in traits between individuals, how traits respond to selection, and thus how traits evolve over time. In order to answer these questions, it is important to uncover the genetic architecture of the focal traits. This includes estimating the proportion of phenotypic variation controlled by genetic variance vs non-genetic (i.e. environmental) variance – known as heritability estimation – examining how the underlying genetic variance is composed of additive genetic variance and non-additive genetic variance, and locating, identifying and characterising the causal genetic variants. Having this information about a trait’s genetic architecture allows for a better understanding of the trait itself. Whilst the bulk of quantitative genetic research is performed in humans and agricultural and livestock populations, studies in wild populations also benefit from these types of analyses. Studying quantitative genetics in wild populations can help us to gain insights into how these traits evolve in natural settings, which are less controlled environments than those experienced by non-wild populations. For example, we can learn how natural selection shapes the genetic variation and adaptation of these traits, how gene-environment interactions influence the expression and plasticity of these traits, and how genetic diversity and inbreeding affect the fitness and survival of these traits. Studies of wild populations often have more obstacles to overcome than those in human and domestic populations: wild pedigrees are more likely to be short, incomplete and contain errors; large genotyping arrays yielding genomic relatedness can be prohibitively expensive; and it is often difficult to reach the appropriate sample sizes of individuals. Therefore, when performing quantitative genetic analyses in a wild population, it is important to assess how well each methodology works in respect to the sample size, genotype density and any erroneous or missing data. In this thesis, I set out to characterise the genetic architecture of 11 polygenic traits in a wild population of Soay sheep, and later an additional four traits thought to be monogenic. In Chapter 2, I perform heritability estimation and genome-wide association studies on the 11 polygenic traits using both the lower density genotype data and the higher-density imputed data to examine how the increase in SNP density affects the results of these analyses. Heritability estimates did not differ between the two SNP densities, but the high-density imputed SNP dataset revealed four new SNP-trait associations that were not found with the lower density dataset. In Chapter 3, I impute the genotype data available for the Soay sheep, increasing SNP density by a factor of 10. In Chapter 4, I used a method designed to estimate heritability in a population of related individuals on both the polygenic and monogenic traits to assess how the genetic variation underpinning these traits can be partitioned into population-level additive genetic variance and family-level genetic variance. Whilst the partitioned model did not improve model fit over standard animal models for the monogenic traits, it improved the fit for some of the polygenic traits, suggesting that dominance, epistasis and/or common environment not already captured by the non-genetic random effects fitted in my models may influence these traits. I also found evidence to suggest that three of the monogenic traits I focused on may be influenced by genetic variance outside of their known causal gene. In Chapter 5, I used regional heritability mapping methods on both the polygenic and monogenic traits to determine their suitability for the Soay sheep data and to try and identify any regions containing causal genetic variants not identified in Chapter 2. Whilst not all previously identified associated loci were recovered, I discovered new regions associated with variation in my traits. In addition, I was able identify whether the genetic variance contributed by each significantly associated region was due to individual SNPs or haplotype alleles. In this thesis, I have applied various quantitative genetic methods to characterise the genetic architecture of 15 traits in a wild population of Soay sheep. These findings contribute to our understanding of how genetics influences trait variation and evolution in wild populations, and highlight the challenges and opportunities of performing quantitative genetic analyses in such populations. Moreover, these methods can benefit other studies of wild populations by providing more accurate estimates of genetic parameters, identifying novel genomic regions associated with traits of interest, and uncovering the complex genetic mechanisms underlying trait variation

Improved profiling and classification of the breast cancer transcriptome

Breast cancer, diagnosed in over 55,000 women annually in the UK, is increasingly being recognised as a massively diverse disease. These differences in underlying biology require robust tumour characterisation to optimally determine likely prognosis and most appropriate treatment. High-throughput gene expression quantification has highlighted the complex molecular heterogeneity of breast cancer and has contributed to recent improvements in clinical patient stratification. Difficulties in accuracy, sensitivity and reproducibility of molecular classifiers persist, and there exists a requirement for robustly-derived, fully categorised and reproducible molecular subtypes of clinical significance. This thesis outlines the identification of reproducible, potential clinically significant molecular subtypes. Development and implementation of a robust, two-step unsupervised clustering and molecular profiling pipeline was implemented on two of the largest gene expression datasets. METABRIC BeadArray Discovery (n=997) and Validation (n=989) data was optimally batchcorrected using a novel approach that preserves vital biological signal more effectively than standard techniques. TCGA RNA-Seq (n=989) data was pre-processed appropriately for unsupervised analysis, and gene features were consolidated with the batch-corrected METABRIC dataset. Each dataset was divided into sample cohorts representing the approximate major disease branches of ER₊ and ER- tumours. A custom software pipeline was built in R to perform multi-algorithm consensus clustering in each sample cohort of both datasets. Five statistically robust clusters were identified in the ER₊ cohorts and four in the ER- sample groups. These clusters were shown to be strongly underpinned by known cancer hallmark processes and profiled as potential clinically significant molecular subtypes. Clearly demonstrated are the considered pre-processing steps required to optimise complex gene expression data for effective unsupervised analysis. The molecular insight gained from this multi-step analysis, representative of underlying tumour biology, is extensively detailed. Furthermore, a prototype molecular classifier for assigning unseen tumours to the nine derived subtypes was subsequently developed and evaluated. These new molecular subtypes contribute to our understanding of breast cancer molecular heterogeneity and have the potential to assist with tailored therapeutic decisions. Work contained herein constitutes a significant and important contribution towards improved understanding of breast cancer, and contains relevant methodological insights to inform future work on transcriptomics in this and adjacent research areas

Towards a pneumatology of in-betweenness: the experiences of 1.5 generation migrant Zomi women in Europe in conversation with Asian American perspectives

This thesis critically examines Asian American theologies of identity and in-betweenness through the lens of 1.5 generation migrant Zomi women in Europe. The Zomi are a predominantly Christian ethnic minority from Chin State, north-west Myanmar. Decades of ethno-religious persecution, marginalisation, and socio-economic deprivation have led many Zomi to migrate in search of better lives abroad. The term ‘1.5 generation’ refers to immigrants who were born in one country but moved to a different country at a formative age, resulting in a dual affinity that engenders a profound sense of in-betweenness that can be simultaneously destabilising as well as generative. This thesis brings the Zomi women’s reflections and lived experiences of migration to Europe into dialogue with Asian American theology, which is the most prolific and sustained body of work exploring Asian identity and belonging in migrant and diasporic contexts. However, there are significant incongruities between the two contexts which stymie the relevance of Asian American theology beyond the borders of the United States and underscore the need for a theology of in-betweenness that can better address the situation of Asian migrant women elsewhere. This thesis attempts to construct a theology of in-betweenness for and from migrant Zomi women using their own reflections on their lives and pneumatological resources. It suggests that the Zomi women’s in-betweenness can offer fresh insight into the workings of the Holy Spirit in the context of migration, diaspora, and marginality, which can ultimately contribute to the broader development of an Asian diasporic theology. This project is best understood as a work of lived theology, written from the perspective of the author, herself a 1.5 generation Zomi woman. It draws upon semi-structured interviews conducted with six 1.5 generation Zomi women residing in Britain, Norway, and Sweden, complemented by additional conversations with first-generation Zomi migrants, fieldwork observations from Chin State, and the author’s personal reflections. The interweaving of these theological sources reflects the inherently personal nature of the topic at hand. The structure of the thesis is as follows. Chapters One and Two introduce the overall project, the Zomi people, and the Zomi diasporas in Britain, Norway, and Sweden. Emphasis is placed on the intertwined nature of Zomi identity and Christianity, as well as the pioneering status of these Zomi European communities. Chapters Three and Four present the findings from interviews with 1.5 generation Zomi women. It is argued that they experience cultural and generational in-betweenness, to which they respond with ‘acts of curation’ and ‘acts of mediation’ respectively. Chapter Five assesses the specific incongruencies between the Asian American context and that of the Zomi women. It argues that the cultural and generational in-betweenness of the Zomi women, together with their pioneering status, must form the foundation of a Zomi women’s theology of in-betweenness. Pneumatology is proposed as thev best framework for such a theology. Chapter Six constructs a Zomi women’s theology of in-betweenness drawn directly from the Zomi women’s experiences. Treating their experiences as a theological loci, traditional conceptions of the Holy Spirit’s creative powers, intercessory and reconciliatory roles, and relationship to the believer are re-evaluated, expanded, or nuanced in light of their lived experiences. The pneumatologies of the 1.5 generation Zomi women invite reconsideration of overlooked aspects of the Holy Spirit – particularly in relation to migration and diasporic life. Chapter Seven offers a conclusion and summarises the broader contributions of this research. Through its centring of women’s voices; its focus on a marginalised minority; and its pneumatological approach, this thesis challenges and contributes to the fields of Asian diasporic theology, theologies of migration, and World Christianity

On the application of machine learning techniques and high-resolution satellite imagery for the extraction of shoreline indicators and the prediction of future shorelines

Coastal communities face increased risk from the challenges of erosion and flooding, combined by the rising threat of sea level rise (SLR). To understand the dynamics along global coastlines and accurately measure the rate of change, it is important to identify shorelines on a large scale over long periods (years - decades). The increase of remote sensing data, notably Multispectral Satellite Imagery (MSI), has provided opportunities to monitor shoreline change over long temporal periods. This thesis investigates the application of open-source MSI and Machine Learning (ML) techniques to quantify shoreline change across various beach types, through the automated extraction of the wet/dry boundary. In this thesis, two key hypotheses are investigated. Firstly, the influence of coastline geomorphology and satellite imagery resolution on the feasibility of Shoreline Indicator (SI) identification is explored. It is expected that coastlines characterised by distinctive geomorphic features, combined with higher-resolution satellite imagery, will enhance the accuracy of visually discernible SI identification and extraction processes. Secondly, the hypothesis is posed that SIs can be reliably identified through ML methodologies. It is anticipated that by training ML algorithms on a diverse dataset of MSI, it will be possible to develop models that can accurately detect and classify SIs across different coastal regions worldwide. This thesis initially assesses how previous Earth Observation (EO) studies mapped Shoreline Indicators from MSI. Recent emerging processing technologies, such as ML, are examined and considered regarding their capacity to identify and extract various shoreline features from local to global scales. Two ML techniques, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Classification and Regression Trees (CART) are developed for a two-step classification approach to identify the wet/dry boundary; these are tested against validation data derived from high resolution LiDAR and drone imagery. The ANN derived shorelines are then used to detect the wet/dry boundary line to allow for seasonal and multi-year analysis at three locations in the UK: Start Bay, Aldbrough and Sizewell. This thesis subsequently investigates future prediction algorithms for forecasting shoreline change. A review of methods that are used for forecasting shoreline change is carried out and four ML techniques are tested for the prediction of future shorelines based on satellite derived shorelines. This investigation examines the potential of ML for predicting future shoreline change from MSI. In this thesis, a significant achievement has been demonstrated, showcasing the effective utilisation of an ANN to accurately detect and extract the wet/dry boundary SI from Sentinel-2 MSI at Start Bay (±2.15m), Aldbrough (±10.67m), and Sizewell (±3.56m). These measurements align well with the 10m pixel value of Sentinel-2, underscoring the reliability and applicability of the ANN approach. This thesis highlights the adaptability and effectiveness of the developed ANN model in tackling diverse shoreline types. Additionally, the analysis of these shorelines proved invaluable in understanding shoreline dynamics over both seasonal and multiyear periods, revealing short-term erosion trends and long-term evolution patterns. Complex behavioural patterns and subtle trends of change were successfully replicated, contributing to a deeper understanding of coastal dynamics at the sites. Furthermore, this research has highlighted the potential of utilising satellite-derived shorelines for future shoreline prediction applications. The machine learning models employed in this study have demonstrated their potential to discern intricate change patterns, and the wealth of available satellite imagery data presents an opportunity to construct more robust and accurate predictive models. This not only enhances our capacity to anticipate shoreline changes but also paves the way for more informed coastal management strategies