PhD Project Scoping Directory
For a full list of partners – please click here
Please click here for a copy of the proposal form
Frequently Asked Questions
Please click here to access resources from the Project Scoping Meeting held on Wednesday 16th October
If you would like to add your details to our supervisory database, please complete this MS Form
| Supervisor | Host Organisation | Partnership Disciplines | Research Interests |
| Dan Lapworth | British Geological Survey | Hydrology
Soils Ecology/Biodiversity |
Water quality, drivers of AMR, emerging contaminants, impacts of climate change on recharge processes, assessing impacts of nature based solutions including conservation agriculture. Understanding surface-groundwater interactions and implications for management of water resources Water resources in Africa and Asia – groundwater recharge, vulnerability and impact of anthropogenic pressures including over-pumping Tracking microbiological contamination in drinking water sources |
| Elliott Montagu Hamilton | British Geological Survey | Soils | My primary research interests are; the development of analytical techniques (ICP-QQQ, HPLC) for the measurement of potentially harmful elements (PHEs) in environmental and biological matrices; speciation methods for water and soil; and PHE mobility, availability and fractionation in contaminated soils using chemometric and isotopic testing methods. |
| Olivier Humphrey | British Geological Survey | Soils | My research focuses on geochemistry and human health interactions, including but not limited to (1) Pollutant pathways via ‘natural’ or anthropogenic geochemical sources with resultant methodologies for exposure studies at human and ecological levels; (2) Mineral nutrient dynamics in soil-crop-human/animal systems with subsequent health; and (3) The application of modelling and predicting geospatial variation and source apportionment of environmental data. |
| Simon Gregory | British Geological Survey | Soils
Ecology/Biodiversity |
Investigations into how environmental change/impacts affect microbial communities, the effect that can have on the environment or human activities and how microbial communities can be harnessed/controlled, especially when this relates to the use of the subsurface |
| Donald John MacAllister | British Geological Survey | Hydrology | Groundwater in low- and middle-income countries, especially in the context of poverty reduction and climate resilience Groundwater resilience in highly exploited aquifer systems, particularly in South Asia Groundwater, rural water supply and WASH, particularly in East and Southern Africa Mountain hydrology and hydrogeology and it’s role in downstream groundwater resources Geothermal energy, particularly minewater geothermal for community heat Hydrogeophysics, particularly self-potential |
| Christopher Vane | British Geological Survey | Soils
Ecology/Biodiversity Oceans/Aquatic Hydrology |
My research interests span 2 broad themes:
• Tracking organic chemical pollutants in soils, sediments and waters with a focus on characterisation of legacy urban/industrial pollutants (e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), organochlorines(PCB, DDT)), emerging contaminants (e.g. pharmaceuticals, hormones, sewage stanols, road run-off vehicle tyre additives) as well as agricultural pollutants (e.g. pesticides) by targeted GC/MS, LC/MS. Projects are focused on contaminant time-trends in Thames (east end of London) and Milford Haven estuaries as well as contaminant mapping in informal settlements (slums) in Nairobi. The aim of this work is to provide an understanding of recent shifts in soil/sediment quality to improve quality of life for all.
• Natural carbon sources and sinks across a continuum of coastal-transitional (marsh/mangrove wetland) terrestrial (woodland/ombrotrophic peat bog) systems. Assessment of C stock, stability and source using bulk geochemical Rock-Eval pyrolysis and molecular extractable lipids (e.g. alkanes, tetraether lipids, sterol markers) as well as structural biopolymers (e.g. lignin, suberin). This research-line also includes an interest in burning events (fire), storms, as well as bottom-up approach to soil/sediment chemistry, understanding organic geogenic inputs to soils via regolith.
I am also interested in the force multiplier effect of combining organic geochemical data-sets other approaches (AI interrogation, remote sensing, interpolated GIS mapping, habitats) as well as collaborating with other measurement based disciplines (e.g. palynology, micropaleontology, eDNA and isotope geochemists).
|
| Samuel Turvey | Institute of Zoology | Ecology/Biodiversity | My work uses evidence to guide recovery of the world’s most threatened species. This approach investigates how different data types (historical archives, Indigenous knowledge) can contribute unique conservation insights, especially for species that cannot be studied easily with standard ecological techniques. My research addresses conservation within social-ecological biocultural systems in China and on island ecosystems, and aims to provide baselines for conserving ‘neglected’ biodiversity. |
| Rosie Woodroffe | Institute of Zoology | Ecology/Biodiversity | I work on the coexistence of people and wildlife, at the interface between research and conservation, focusing especially on mammalian carnivores. I lead programmes on both African wild dogs and European badgers. For African wild dogs, my team works on managing disease threats, resolving human-wildlife conflict, and understanding and mitigating climate change threats. For badgers, we are trying to help farmers and policymakers find sustainable ways to control and eradicate bovine tuberculosis. |
| Guy Cowlishaw | Institute of Zoology | Ecology/Biodiversity | My research interests include (1) Ecosystem function and conservation status of ephemeral river systems in Namibia; (2) Behavioural ecology and conservation of social species (I run a long-term, individual-based, study of wild baboons in central Namibia, now in its 25th year); (3) Wildlife trade and human livelihoods in Africa; and (4) Dynamics of extinction risk (using primates as a model system) |
| Clare Duncan
Email: clare.duncan@ioz.ac.uk |
Institute of Zoology | Oceans/Aquatic
Ecology/Biodiversity |
My research interests centre around the ecology & conservation of coastal and freshwater ecosystems. My research employs various quantitative ecological approaches with the broad aims of quantifying the potential of these ecosystems as Nature-based Solutions to climate change and as critical habitat for biodiversity, and identifying optimal management interventions for wetland conservation and restoration in space and time. |
| Marcus Rowcliffe | Institute of Zoology | Ecology/Biodiversity | My primary focus is the development of wildlife monitoring methods, and their application in conservation and ecology. This primarily involves terrestrial camera trapping, but has included some work on marine imagery, drone data and passive acoustic monitoring. A core focus is the development, testing and application of new statistical for camera trapping data, together with the development of improved data pipelines using computer vision technology. |
| Malcolm Nicoll | Institute of Zoology | Ecology/Biodiversity | My research focuses on the ecology, conservation and management of island avian biodiversity. By combining research disciplines (primarily population and movement ecology) we identify threats, explore the effectiveness of potential conservation actions and provide guidance to inform management actions in both terrestrial and marine systems. Current research focuses on species recovery programs and island restoration in island systems in the Indian Ocean. |
| Jules Kajtar | National Oceanography Centre | Oceans/Aquatic | I am currently involved in the RAPID group, which has been actively measuring the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) at 26N for 20 years. My work explores the cost/accuracy of measuring the AMOC with different array configurations. I also study marine heatwaves, to understand their drivers and processes. |
| Pete Brown | National Oceanography Centre | Oceans/Aquatic | Marine biogeochemical cycles, processes driving the magnitude and variability of carbon uptake by the ocean, large-scale ocean transports of heat, freshwater, nutrients and carbon, using new sensing technologies and observing platforms to interrogate the interaction between biogeochemistry and circulation |
| Xiaoyan Wei | National Oceanography Centre | Oceans/Aquatic | My research focuses on estuarine and coastal dynamics. I am also interested in shelf-ocean exchange processes and Arctic Ocean dynamics. My expertise includes numerical and (semi-)analytical modelling. |
| Constantinos Matsoukis | National Oceanography Centre | Oceans/Aquatic | I have expertise in numerical modelling of hydrodynamics, morphology and water quality. In my PhD, I investigated the impact of changes in tides and freshwater flows due to climate change on salt intrusion in river deltas. In my post-doc, I looked at compound flooding to assess the combined impact of riverine and coastal flooding both in catchments and estuaries. In my MSc , I modelled the morphological changes in a tidal inlet from combined wave and tidal forcing and their effects on sediment transport. In conclusion, my research interests are coastal and estuarine processes, morphology, climate change and salt intrusion. |
| André Palóczy Filho
Email: apaloczy@noc.ac.uk |
National Oceanography Centre | Oceans/Aquatic | I am a physical oceanographer interested in processes involving the deep-ocean/shelf sea interface, including: Coastal dynamics and turbulence, cross-shelf transport mechanisms, deep-ocean driving of shelf circulation, boundary current systems, Antarctic coastal oceanography and mesoscale/submesoscale dynamics. I tend to use different combinations of observational and modelling (numerical/analytical) tools, depending on the problem. |
| Maxwell Barclay | Natural History Museum | Ecology/Biodiversity | I am a specialist on Coleoptera and am interesting in taxonomic, museological or ecological projects involving evolution, diversity and ecology of beetles worldwide. I have supervised BSc, MSc and PhD students on related topics. I am based in NHM South Kensington. |
| Alexa Varah | Natural History Museum | Ecology/Biodiversity | Biodiversity conservation and modelling, agri-environments, agroforestry, trade-offs between food production and the environment, impacts of biodiversity on human wellbeing |
| Anne D. Jungblut | Natural History Museum | Cryosphere
Ecology/Biodiversity Soils |
|
| Paul Schofield | Natural History Museum | Cryosphere
Soils |
Physics and chemistry of minerals and the impact of crystal-structures or crystal-chemical changes on the physical and functional properties of minerals. Electronic, site-occupancy and coordination properties of functional elements in mineral structures and their role of environmental, geochemical and functional significance. Residence of critical elements in minerals and their value to the carbon-zero and green energy transitions. |
| Ines Collings | Natural History Museum | Cryosphere
Soils |
Research interests center around structure-property relationships in natural minerals and their synthetic counterparts. I use diffraction techniques under non-ambient conditions (temperature and pressure) to correlate structural changes with material properties, such as expansion/compressibility behaviour, spin crossover, and ferroelectricity. Another area of research involves the use of pressure and temperature to understand the phase diagrams of new salt hydrates. |
| Anne D. Jungblut
Email: a.jungblut@nhm.ac.uk |
Natural History Museum | Cryosphere
Ecology/Biodiversity Soils |
polar microbiology, microbe-mineral-plant interactions in agriculture and mine rehabilitation, DNA sequencing, laboratory experimentations, imaging |
| Alberto Zilli
Email: a.zilli@nhm.ac.uk |
Natural History Museum | Ecology/Biodiversity |
Systematics, phylogenetics, ecology, ethology and evolution of the Lepidoptera. Taxonomy of world Noctuoidea (owlet moths and allies). Speciation, clines, hybrid zones, mimicry and sexual selection.Resolving difficult species complexes of lepidoptera groups to achieve a baseline for any further understanding of the patterns of diversification and evolution of these organisms.
Bringing morpho-anatomical information into molecular phylogenies to check for inconsistencies and resolving nodes.
Analysis of microevolutionary processes at the populational scale.
Ecological interactions of the Lepidoptera.
Study of poorly known faunas.
|
| Philip C Stevenson | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew | Ecology/Biodiversity | Current research is funded by BBSRC, NERC, Leverhulme Trust and National Science Foundation (USA) and supports work on the plant chemistry of nectar and pollen and on how this mediates plant-pollinator interactions and pollinator health and behaviour for example through consumption of bioactive nectar metabolites or essential nutrients including pollen lipids. Funding from McKnight Foundation and Innovate UK supports work on the chemistry of plant-pest interactions, how plant chemicals influence insect behaviour and provide environmentally benign pest control for sustainable crop production. |
| Iain Darbyshire | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew | Ecology/Biodiversity | I study the taxonomy, evolutionary history and conservation of tropical flowering plants, particularly in Africa. My taxonomic research focuses on the Acanthaceae (Acanthus and shrimp plant) family. I am also interested in the application of biodiversity collections-based research to conservation planning and management, primarily through the Tropical Important Plant Areas (TIPAs) programme, and incorporating the resultant datasets into policy on biodiversity management. |
| Laura J. Kelly | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew | Ecology/Biodiversity | My research interests centre on using genomic and evolutionary approaches to understand current and future threats to plant health, to inform actions to mitigate these and to determine how plants adapt in the face of new environmental challenges. Current areas of focus include uncovering the genomic basis of resistance to major tree pests and pathogens, understanding the evolutionary response of natural populations to new biotic stressors, and predicting the probability of novel interactions between plants and organisms that might cause them harm. |
| James Borrell | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew | Ecology/Biodiversity | My research focuses on understanding the spatial patterns and temporal changes in Agrobiodiversity – the species and genetic diversity of the plants and animals that we use and consume. This is the part of the natural world with which we most directly interact, for example as crops, but compared to the broader global biodiversity crises we have many fewer indicators of its status. Our work asks how we can balance and target agrobiodiversity conservation whilst also integrating with broader conservation strategies including protected areas and OECMs. |
| Harriet Hunt | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew | Ecology/Biodiversity | I am interested in genetic diversity, domestication and adaptation in crop plants – especially neglected or minor crops. My research currently focuses on Ethiopian and other East African crop and agroforestry species, integrating genetic, archaeobotanical and ethnobotanical data to infer the evolutionary and human history of agronomically important plants, and to establish conservation priorities for these species in the light of climate change and other threats. |
| Miguel Lurgi | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity | Research in the lab is focused on discovering the mechanisms behind the emergence of structure and organisation of complex ecological networks. We study systems from microbial to macro communities of terrestrial vertebrate, with the ultimate goal of understanding the assembly and disassembly of ecosystems. We address these challenges from a computational perspective centred around two main axes: theoretical modelling and analysis of large complex datasets. We are interested in developing theoretical models to understand and predict the behaviour of complex ecosystems from first principles and how they will respond to change. We also aim at revealing patterns of organisation of complex communities from large datasets of empirical systems. |
| Harshinie Karunarathna | Swansea University | Oceans/Aquatic | Hydrodynamic-sediment-ecology interface in the coastal environment, coastal hydro-morphodynamics, coastal and estuarine sediment transport, coastal flooding, Nature-based coastal management, climate change impacts on the coastal environment, ecosystem restoration and realignment. |
| Michael S Fowler | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity | My research focusses on how species interactions and stochastic environmental variability combine to influence different types of ecological stability and invasive species dynamics. I combine analytical, simulation and statistical modelling approaches to investigate how different forms of environmental variation (spatial and/or temporal) drive changes in populations, always aiming to combine population biology theory with empirical work wherever possible, across a range of study systems from purely theoretical models, to work linking stochastic mathematical models with tightly coupled lab experiments with terrestrial and aquatic animals, to field work with plants. Recent and ongoing research projects include: (i) investigating eco-evolutionary dynamics and responses to environmental variation in stage-structured populations; (ii) developing our understanding of invasive species and their management; (iii) understanding the underlying processes and consequences in the diversity of species responses to environmental variables (Response Diversity); (iv) investigating the impacts of environmental variation in simple evolutionary game-theory models. |
| James Rowan Jordan | Swansea University | Cryosphere
Oceans/Aquatic |
Numerical ice-ocean modeller, Antarctic contribution to sea level rise, ice shelf calving, coupled ice ocean modelling |
| Dr Hazel Nichols | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity | My research uses behavioural, genetic and biochemical techniques to (1) investigate the evolution of animal societies and (2) advance conservation biology. For example, I am working on i) how MHC genes and microbiome influence chemical communication, ii) the role of genetic diversity in species reintroductions, iii) understanding the impact of anthropogenic landscapes on animal movement and gene-flow, and iv) investigating impacts of climate change on animal societies. |
| Andrew King | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity | My group researches animal behaviour, ecology, and conservation, specialising in the study of social behaviour. We are question-driven studying many different species, and have strong applied themes, ranging from human-wildlife interactions to swarm robotics. |
| Iain Robertson | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity
Hydrology Soils |
My main research interest is the application of chemical techniques to solve environmental problems; it is a journey that has taken me from chemistry though archaeology, botany, geology and geography. I have focused upon achieving a better understanding of natural climatic variability through the determination of stable isotopes in tree-rings, and the use of amended biochar to encourage phytoremediation and reduce environmental pollution from abandoned metal mines. Recently we’ve developed a low-cost technique to remove nano- and micro-plastics from polluted water. |
| Konstans Wells | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity | I am an ecologist and modeller, focusing on the consequences of environmental change on biodiversity, wildlife, invasive species and host-parasite interactions. My interests include questions of how insights from demographic and epidemiological dynamics, species range dynamics and bio-geographic patterns can be used to identify key processes for optimizing conservation and pest control efforts and the prevention of disease spread under different environmental scenarios and policy schemes. |
| John Griffin | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity
Oceans/Aquatic |
I am interested in how changing biodiversity influences ecosystem functions and services across scales and environmental gradients. I work on coastal systems such as rocky shores & salt marshes, using lab mesocosms, experiments, surveys, remote sensing, and statistical modelling. My group holds several long-term and large-scale ecological datasets resulting from recent and ongoing NERC-funded projects, including on seaweed community resilience and functional traits along latitudinal gradients. |
| Dr Emilia Urbanek | Swansea University | Soils
Hydrology |
I am a soil scientist interested in the role of soils in mitigation of the climate change. My research is focused on understanding the relationship between water availability and soil carbon dynamics, especially when soil becomes water-repellent due to fire or prolonged dry spells. I’m interested in understanding how the addition of soil amendments (e.g. crushed basalt, biochar) affects soil hydrology, soil GHG emissions and other physical soil properties. |
| Katie Preece | Swansea University | Soils
Atmospheres |
I’m a volcanologist and geologist. My research is broadly focused on volcanology, volcanic petrology, and geochronology. More specifically, my work entails resolving volcanic stratigraphies and eruption histories, eruption dynamics, and pre-eruptive magmatic processes, by integrating field studies with a variety of petrological, geochronological and geochemical techniques. |
| Dr Ines Fürtbauer | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity | My research in the field of behavioural ecology and endocrinology focuses on understanding the causes and consequences as well as the adaptive value of variation in behaviour, with a strong emphasis on hormonal actions and mechanisms. My research aims to stretch the limits of behavioural endocrinology to not only address fundamental and outstanding questions in the field but also tackle important and pressing issues in wildlife management and conservation, animal welfare, and animals’ responses to human-induced environmental change. |
| Tamsyn Uren Webster | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity
Oceans/Aquatic |
My research broadly focuses on the impacts of environmental challenges, including pollution and climate change, on aquatic animal and ecosystem health. I use molecular tools to elucidate mechanisms of adverse effect and, also, to establish whether, and how, organisms can adapt to changes in their environment. I am particularly interested in examining the potential for rapid adaptive responses to environmental stressors, such as those mediated via host-associated microbiomes and epigenetic mechanisms. |
| Kevin Arbuckle | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity | I am broadly interested in the behavioural ecology and evolution of animals, particularly reptiles and amphibians (but I am open to any taxa with interesting questions to answer). I predominantly use a phylogenetic comparative approach to understand the origin and evolution of lineages and their traits, and although I am interested in a wide range of biological attributes, I have particularly focused on aspects of venoms and poisons and traits linked to natural enemy interactions such as antipredator defences. |
| Eva Sonnenschein | Swansea University | Oceans/Aquatic
Ecology/Biodiversity |
I am a marine microbiologist investigating the complex ecosystems surrounding both microalgae and microplastics, aiming to understand their microbial communities and interactions. Microalgae are responsible for 50% of the global carbon fixation, while also holding immense promise in biotechnological advancements. Their health in Nature and applied settings is intrinsically interlinked to their associated bacteria. Consequently, my research focuses on exploring these associations, aiming to uncover the fundamental principles guiding their interactions. Ultimately, I aspire to facilitate the integration of microalgae into sustainable biological production systems. In addition to my investigations into microalgae, I am deeply engaged in understanding the microbial landscape associated with marine microplastics. These microscopic yet pervasive pollutants pose significant threats to marine life and ecosystems. Through my work, I aim to decipher the intricate dynamics between microplastics and microbial communities, striving to mitigate their adverse effects and foster novel biotechnological solutions. |
| Claudio Greco | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity
Soils |
My research is at the interface of Chemistry and Biology investigating natural products from fungi. Based in my research group (i) uses metabolomics, genetics, and bioinformatics to discover natural products from fungi, (ii) develops genetic tools to determine biosynthetic pathways and (iii) investigates ecological roles and bioactivities of natural products. |
| Dr Geertje van Keulen | Swansea University | Soils
Ecology/Biodiversity Hydrology |
|
| Daniel Eastwood | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity
Soils |
Fungal molecular ecology, comparative genomics, intraspecific interactions, community decay dynamics and nutrient cycling, fungal biocontrol and plant stimulation, invasive plants, natural products |
| William Allen | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity | I am an evolutionary ecologist who researches animal sensory systems, signals, camouflage and life history. To do so I use phylogenetic comparative approaches, observational and experimental field work, globally distributed experiments, and visual modelling. Current projects include the evolution of primate colouration, the role of traits in invasion, dispersal and extinction, evolution of eye morphology, and the visual ecology of arthropod pests. I also bring expertise to collaborate on diverse topics such as fungal strategies and shark diversification. |
| Adrian Luckman | Swansea University | Cryosphere | Remote sensing for glaciology, specifically dynamic change using SAR interferometry and feature tracking Also recent development of drone ground-penetrating-radar capability and drone photogrammetry |
| Cai Ladd | Swansea University | Oceans/Aquatic
Ecology/Biodiversity Hydrology Soils |
I am interested in scale-dependent biogeomorphic feedbacks that govern coastal wetland resilience and restoration. I use hydrodynamic and sediment flux monitoring, environmental sensor development, spatial statistics, remote sensing, and archival data to conduct my research. I am interested in applied science, and use my research to inform policy, support decision-making, and deliver evidence (especially on the role of coastal wetlands in storing and sequestering blue carbon). |
| Ruth Godfrey | Swansea University | Hydrology
Soils Atmospheres Oceans/Aquatic |
I am an Associate Professor in Analytical Chemistry at Swansea University with over 20 years’ experience in Separation Science, Mass Spectrometry and Spectroscopy. My research supports the R&D of multinational companies, government agencies and SMEs, and focuses on analytical technologies and method development for medical/chemical analysis, with most recent work concerning environmental medicine (linking pollution with environmental and human health), mass spectrometry and sample preparation technology development. Notable examples include the development of an online sample preparation-LC-MS system for remote monitoring of PFAS, the establishment of a new multi-modal inlet GC-VUV spectroscopy system (1st in the UK) for micro/nano-plastic analysis, and the development of a novel sample preparation technology (QuEChERS) capable of measuring pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals within environmental solids, freshwater matrices, tissues, and other clinical samples. I also co-lead the EPSRC-funded Centre of Excellence in 2D Chromatography situated at the University of Southampton, with associated instrument access to 2D-LC-IMS-HRMS/MS and 2D-GC-HRMS systems. I undertake innovation-led research in applied analytical MS, developing technologies and procedures for collaborators (e.g., Microsaic Systems Plc, VUV Analytics, SSS Ltd, Biotage GB Ltd, Siltbuster Ltd, Waters Corp., Hydro Industries Ltd, Porvair Filtration Group, Natural Resources Wales, Decus Research Ltd etc.) with financial support from industry, UKRI, EU and charities (totalling >£8.7M, ~£950k as PI). These projects have led to new analytical methods used by the external parties, leading to an increase in their commercial and/or regulatory service provision (Natural Resources Wales, Decus Research Ltd,), and some, an expansion of the application range of their product portfolio (e.g., Microsaic Systems Plc, VUV Analytics, Biotage GB Ltd, Decus Research Ltd, Siltbuster Ltd and Porvair Sciences). More recent collaborators include CEH and Fidra, involving the development of a “greener” plastics analysis platform (GC-VUV), capable of providing a more holistic view of environmental and plastic samples by measuring solid, liquid and gaseous matrices on a single platform, and with enhanced selectivity vs. GC-MS. As such, this system also pioneers Green Analytical Chemistry, supported by the use of renewable gases and lower energy requirements, further underpinning the sustainability credentials of the platform. I have also delivered commercial/consultancy work for external parties (e.g., Porvair Sciences, Hach Corp., and Sygnature Discovery Ltd) in this area, and research published in relevant journals such as Chemosphere, J. Env. Chem. Eng., Anal. Chem., J. Env. Management., Anal. Bioanal. Chem., BMC Cancer, Anal. Methods, Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. |
| Nicole Esteban | Swansea University | Oceans/Aquatic | A marine ecologist with a focus on tropical ecosystems, Nicole applies 20 years’ experience of marine conservation to applied research at Swansea University. I generally use field-based techniques to collect data and use a range of platforms (e.g. satellite tracking, biologging, drones, SCUBA) to study ecology of marine animals within their breeding or foraging habitats and learn more about anthropogenic impacts on those animals. Research interests are generally conservation-driven with a focus on marine megafauna movement, including sea turtles and fish, and associated habitats to translate research to biodiversity conservation action. Read about current research via my research group Marine Conservation Ecology Lab (https://www.swansea.ac.uk/bioscience/research-and-impact/marine-conservation-ecology-lab-marcel/). |
| Professor Bernd Kulessa | Swansea University | Cryosphere
Hydrology Soils |
My research focuses on the use of applied geophysics to contribute to our understanding of the response of the world’s ice masses to past, present, and future climatic change, and to address related scientific problems of anthropogenic impact such as ground hazards and contamination. I combine fieldwork, laboratory work, and forward and inverse modelling, seeking novel developments to integrate multidisciplinary subsurface data, e.g. through joint inversion or stochastic / Bayesian modelling. |
| Siwan Davies | Swansea University | Cryosphere | My research is focussed on past climate change and Quaternary science and the use volcanic ash deposits to date past events (tephrochronology) in ice-cores, marine sediments and terrestrial records. |
| Luca Borger | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity
Oceans/Aquatic |
I am an ecologist, interested in quantitatively assessing environmental change impacts on local and global biodiversity and identifying the underlying individual- and community-level mechanistic processes (movement, traits, demography, interactions) to develop predictive models and derive policies for sustainable life on earth. |
| Paul Albert | Swansea University | Soils
Oceans/Aquatic Atmospheres Cryosphere |
My research specialises in reconstructing volcanic eruption histories; specifically determining the source and timing of ancient widespread ash (tephra) fall events. My UKRI FLF research concentrates on constraining the tempo and magnitude of explosive arc volcanism using ash layers preserved in long sedimentary archives (e.g., marine and lake sediment sequences), and facilitating long-term ash fall hazard assessments. I am also interested in using tephra layers to synchronise and date palaeoclimate archives, improving our understanding of spatio-temporal changes in past climate change. |
| Richard Johnston | Swansea University | Oceans/Aquatic
Ecology/Biodiversity Soils |
I lead the X-ray imaging group at Swansea, and also Co-Director of the Advanced Imaging of Materials (AIM) Core Facility https://www.swansea.ac.uk/science-and-engineering/research/aim/. We use light, electrons, and X-rays to study and characterise biological, geological, and human-made materials. We combine these correlatively to understand the relationships between structure, morphology, chemistry, mechanics, and function. For this network I could support collaborations with microscopy and characterisation expertise and capability. |
| Cynthia Froyd | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity | I am a terrestrial plant ecologist, specialising in the fields of long-term ecology, biodiversity and conservation. My primary research focus is on the application of long-term ecological data to guide practical conservation and ecosystem restoration. My work occurs largely at the interface between the disciplines of plant ecology and palaeoecology – applying palaeoecological research techniques (i.e. the analysis of fossil pollen, macrofossil plant remains, charcoal, and PalEnvDNA), but focussing on timescales directly relevant to issues of modern conservation (i.e. 100’s to 1000’s of years). |
| Emily Shepard | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity | (1) Aeroecology. I am interested in how wind, updrafts and turbulence affect flight costs, flight decisions (i.e. when & where animals fly), and avian ecology in general. I use animal tagging to study bird behaviour in the wild and a custom-built wind tunnel to investigate flight in controlled conditions. (2) Animal tracking & behaviour. I use high-frequency data (mainly accelerometers & magnetometers) to study animals in a range of contexts. |
| Aisling Devine | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity | My research interests are predominantly focused on vegetation community ecology and sustainable agriculture.
My research examines drivers of vegetation change and the impact this has on community ecology, in a wide variety of ecosystems, such as mangroves, temperate woodlands and tropical grasslands and forests. My research also focus on sustainable agriculture practices, such as agroforestry and applications of sustainable fertiliser practices with a special focus on small-holding farmers. |
| Yunqing Xuan | Swansea University | Hydrology
Atmospheres |
I am an associate Professor and Co-lead of the Modelling, Data and AI in Climate Action of the Zienkiewicz Institute, Swansea University. More than 20 years of research experience and leadership in Water and Environmental Engineering specialising in hydrometeorological modelling and hydroclimatic extremes. I am Scientific partner of the UK Met Office in climate model/NWP development and applications. |
| Peter North | Swansea University | Ecology/Biodiversity
Atmospheres |
My interest is the use of global satellite remote sensing to improve understanding of climate change, vegetation health and carbon uptake, and the role of land/atmosphere interactions. I have developed a model (FLIGHT) of vegetation photosynthesis and light use efficiency, to relate satellite-measured spectra to land surface properties, and has been extended to model light detection and ranging and solar induced fluorescence. I am interested in the role of atmospheric aerosols such as from wildfire emissions and desert dust on climate change, air quality, and measurement of the Earth’s reflectance, and have developed a method for global estimation of atmospheric aerosol and developed a long term record (1995-current) from ESA satellites. |
| Carlos Garcia de Leaniz | Swansea University | Oceans/Aquatic
Ecology/Biodiversity |
Aquatic Biosciences, Freshwater Conservation, Fish Ecology, Sustainable Aquaculture, Behavioural Ecology, Citizen Science |
| Nick Isaac | UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology | Ecology/Biodiversity | I am a biodiversity science working on large scale datasets, both in the UK and internationally. I develop and use statistical models to describe changes in biodiversity, to understand why it is changing, and to make projections about future changes. |
| James Bullock | UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology | Ecology/Biodiversity | I’m interested in researching novel approaches to addressing the biodiversity crisis. This includes understanding how rewilding impacts ecosystems, developing new approaches to ecosystem restoration, moving beyond the hype about regenerative farming, and designing connectivity that works for multiple species. This includes scaling up to landscapes by understanding dispersal and movement and the various habitat needs of species. I use field studies, statistical analysis and process modelling |
| HyeJin Kim | UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology | Ecology/Biodiversity | I am interested in developing nature and people positive future visions, then apply them in systems analyses, integrated modelling, and evidence synthesis optimizing inter-disciplinary science, technology and innovations. |
| Jo Staley | UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology | Ecology/Biodiversity | My research investigates biodiversity responses to habitat management, agricultural practices and climate change. My projects include looking at how mobile species (butterflies, moths, bees, hoverflies, bats, birds) respond to agri-environment schemes at varying spatial scales (https://www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/landspaes), and how hedgerow management can affect plants and invertebrates (https://www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/hedgerow-management-and-rejuvenation). |
| Susheel Bhanu Busi | UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology | Ecology/Biodiversity | I am a molecular ecologist with experience in metaomic data analysis. My expertise spans diverse environments, including freshwater and wastewater systems. My prior research delves into the intricate dynamics of mobile genetic elements within freshwaters and wastewaters, shedding light on the distribution of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes across plasmids and phages. In addition to this research, I have a strong interest in bioinformatics and is actively involved in developing reproducible workflows and pipelines. I have developed cutting-edge computational workflows tailored for the precise identification of AMR genes, virulence factors, and toxins within metagenomic datasets. I strive to contextualize the presence of these crucial genes, particularly on mobile genetic elements and in complex microbial communities and their implications for public health. |
| Richard Allan | University of Reading | Atmospheres | I use Earth Observation data to explore fluctuations in clouds, water vapour, rainfall and the Earth’s radiative energy balance and use this information to assess the realism of climate prediction models and improve our understanding of the climate system. |
| Thorwald Stein | University of Reading | Atmospheres | I am interested in the life cycles of clouds and convective storms. I use radar instruments and data in novel ways to target and study the microphysical and dynamical processes leading to and resulting from precipitation. I then use high-resolution (dx=100m) numerical weather prediction models to evaluate their ability to represent these processes and, ultimately, to identify which model schemes to target for improved weather forecasts. |
| Jake Bishop | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity | My group uses diverse approaches including experimentation in the field and in controlled environments, mathematical models and meta-analyses to address questions around climate change adaptation in agriculture, abiotic stress impacts in crop plants, ecological intensification and diversification in agriculture. |
| Anne Verhoef | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity
Hydrology Soils |
Environmental physics, applications and theory; biophysical interactions and feedbacks in the soil-plant-atmosphere system; land surface/ecological modelling |
| Sofia Gripenberg | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity | My research aims to understand the role of species interactions in population and community dynamics, behaviour, and evolution. Most of my work focuses on plant-insect, plant-pathogen, and insect-parasitoid interactions. My research often includes field work, typically conducted in tropical or temperate forest systems, but more recently also in agricultural and horticultural settings in the UK. I am also interested in the effects of environmental change (e.g. climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation) on species interactions and their broader implications. |
| Shuang-Hua Yang | University of Reading | Atmospheres
Hydrology |
I have completed a number of research projects in air pollution monitoring and localisation, flooding disaster forecasting, and other disaster management. I have invented and commercialised long distance low power wireless communication technology and have a wide range of applications. |
| Paul Williams | University of Reading | Atmospheres | I specialise in atmospheric turbulence, jet streams, fluid dynamics, numerical modelling, and climate change, with a focus on weather-sensitive applications including aviation. I am particularly interested in the impacts of climate change on aviation, including the prospect of more turbulence. |
| Manuela Gonzalez Suarez | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity | Human impact on the world’s ecosystems is leading to a widespread and accelerating loss of biodiversity. I am interested in understanding the drivers of this change and finding methods to predict future loss and identify suitable strategies to halt it.
My interests are quite diverse but my three core areas are: Functional (trait) diversity: this dimension of biodiversity has been less studied in the past but its link to the roles and functions of species on ecosystems makes it very relevant for conservation and our understanding of the functioning of ecological systems. I have worked and compiled diverse animal trait datasets (mostly for vertebrate species) and work on approaches for data imputation and modelling for conservation assessment. Road ecology: roads are prevalent features of nearly all Earth’s landscapes and can significantly impact wildlife. I have collected and analyse data on road impacts on animals and contributed tools to prioritise research and management. In recent work I am exploring the value of roadkilled animals as sources of non-invasive biological material for further studies including the study of parasites and zoonotic diseases. Macroecology and biogeography: I am broadly interested in large-scale patterns and understanding the general mechanisms that shape biodiversity on Earth including the study of latitudinal gradient in species richness and body size. |
| Simon Potts | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity
Soils |
Understanding the relationships between land use, biodiversity and ecosystem services. Environmental drivers of biodiversity and ecosystem services, including: land use change, climate change, agrochemicals, invasive species and socio-economics. Food security: role of biodiversity and ecosystem services in food production. Conservation of pollinators and sustainable management of pollination services. Developing evidence-based adaptation and mitigation options for policy and management applications. |
| Paz Vaqueiro | University of Reading | Soils | I have expertise in the preparation and characterization of synthetic minerals (e.g. zeolites, garnets, chalcopyrite, stannite, pyrrhotites, tetrahedrites…). This includes the determination of their crystal structure, chemical composition and physical properties. I am interested in the exploitation of minerals for energy generation applications (e.g. heat-to-electrical or solar-to-electrical energy conversion). |
| Jon Robson | University of Reading | Oceans/Aquatic
Atmospheres |
I’m interested in climate variability and change in the North Atlantic region, including ocean circulation change (e.g., AMOC) and on the role of the ocean in shaping climate variability and change including the oceans impact on the atmosphere. I’ve worked on the role of internal climate variability and the processes shaping externally forced changes. I have also worked extensively on the predictability of regional climate variability and change on multi-year to multi-decadal timescales. Recently I have been interested in understanding the potential for North Atlantic tipping points. |
| Julie A. Hawkins | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity | The main focus of work at present is ethnobotany and evolutionary ethnobotany. I have research interests in the diversity of uses of plants (but also other organisms), specifically in medicine. I have worked with anthropologists and macroecologists to explore how plant use changes in time and space. I use herbarium records, including records from historical collections. This work interfaces with plant taxonomy and evolution, and also with wildlife trade. |
| Ed Hawkins | University of Reading | Atmospheres | My research examines how and why the climate has changed since the industrial revolution, and how it may change over the coming decades. I lead Weather Rescue – a citizen science initiative involving thousands of volunteers – which is recovering millions of lost Victorian-era weather observations from hand-written archives and turning them into invaluable digital data to better understand historical extreme weather events. |
| Eugene Mohareb | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity | Focused on interdisciplinary research on environmental impacts associated with urban systems. This includes the enhancement of urban biodiversity through domestic retrofit, as well as the exploration of environmental impacts of urban infrastructure through the application of life cycle assessment. |
| Paul-Arthur Monerie | University of Reading | Atmospheres | I have an interest in decadal climate predictability/prediction and the effect of climate change. My work focuses on the effect of climate change on the tropics (i.e. the West African monsoon) and on the effects of changes in North Atlantic temperature on climate (Sahel, East Asia, India). |
| Robert Plant | University of Reading | Atmospheres | My research centres on physics-dynamics interactions in numerical simulations: i.e., physical parameterizations and their influences on dynamics. I am especially interested in convection, ranging from process studies to developing new parameterizations, to its role in larger scale systems. Other interests include boundary layer turbulence, the use of ensembles and predictability. |
| Ben Harvey | University of Reading | Atmospheres | I’m an NCAS researcher focused on the intersection of climate variability and change and the dynamics of high-impact weather systems. Currently science coordinator for the NERC CANARI programme in which I’m developing regional convection-permitting MetUM simulations of high impact storms impacting the UK in the present and future climate. Other recent and ongoing projects include projections of the North Atlantic jet stream, the dynamics of Arctic cyclones, and a climatology of sting jet cyclones. |
| Nicolas Bellouin | University of Reading | Atmospheres | Aerosol radiative forcing of the climate system, from satellite observations and global modelling; Role of aerosols in the Earth System: coupling with atmospheric chemistry, the cryosphere, the ocean, and land surfaces; Atmospheric radiative transfer and remote sensing; Climate impacts of aviation, especially non-CO2 effects. |
| Tom Sizmur | University of Reading | Soils | My interests span the biogeochemistry of soils in agricultural, natural, and polluted environments, with a particular focus on:
– Understanding mechanistically why some regenerative agriculture practices ‘work’ – Developing new strategies for storing carbon in soils – The impact of environmental change on soil biogeochemical cycles – Food system thinking for human health and environmental sustainability – Exploiting ‘low hanging fruit’ opportunities for improving sustainable soil management |
| Keri Nicoll | University of Reading | Atmospheres | The main focus of my research relates to how charge affects atmospheric processes (including clouds, dust, volcanic ash). This involves multidisciplinary work, bridging together fields including instrumentation development, atmospheric electricity, space weather, clouds and aerosol physics. I am particularly interested in airborne measurements of clouds/aerosols and have experience in working with balloons, aircraft and autonomous aircraft. |
| Kevin Hodges | University of Reading | Atmospheres
Oceans/Aquatic Hydrology |
Analysis of storms in climate and numerical weather prediction and their impacts. |
| Andrew Bladon | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity | I am a conservation ecologist interested in the impacts of climate and habitat change on species’ distribution and abundance, and in testing conservation interventions to reverse species’ declines. My research cuts across traditional ecological disciplines, to understand how fine-scale temperature and habitat variation influence the behaviour of individual organisms, and the mechanisms by which these behavioural responses have broad-scale, population-level impacts. Working with practical conservation organisations and policy-makers, I use my research to develop and test conservation management strategies which support species’ survival in a changing world. |
| Alan Livio Vasconcelos Guedes | University of Reading | Atmospheres
Ecology/Biodiversity |
My research interests lie in the intersection of Machine Learning (ML) and Computer Vision (video, images). I have working methods to classify and segment videos and, more recently, to predict user behaviour in 360-degree videos to improve their streaming. My goal in participating in CROCUS is to contribute to ML aspects in projects on Meteorology or Biodiversity that use video or image data. |
| Sokratis Stergiadis | University of Reading | Atmospheres
Ecology/Biodiversity Soils |
My research focuses on developing solutions to reduce livestock greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen excretion; prediction modelling for livestock greenhouse gas emissions and feed nutritive value; improving nutrient and energy use efficiency in ruminants; achieving net zero carbon targets in livestock production systems; and enhancing the nutritional quality of animal products through husbandry, animal diet, and crossbreeding practices. |
| Tristan Quaife | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity
Atmospheres |
My research focuses on the interface between models of the land surface and satellite data, and I am primarily interested in how we can better constrain modelled estimates of the terrestrial carbon cycle. Central to this are: (1) the development of new data assimilation techniques to combine models and observations; (2) the exploitation of new remote sensing information, in particular from solar induced fluorescence; (3) developing new radiative transfer models for vegetation canopies. |
| Jess Neumann | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity
Hydrology |
Hydrology – including (natural) flood risk management, community preparedness and early-warning, catchment scale approach.
Hydrology – using citizen science for measuring water quality, sewage overflows and extreme weather. Landscape ecology – mapping landscape change, species community analysis, applied ecology (in-the-field survey) |
| Shovonlal Roy | University of Reading | Oceans/Aquatic
Ecology/Biodiversity |
I work at the interface between satellite remote sensing and ecological modelling, primarily focusing on marine ecosystems. Specific research interests include: satellite remote-sensing of ocean carbon and bio-diversity, bio-optical algorithms, remote-sensing-based modelling of fish dynamics and application to fisheries, biogeochemical modelling, dynamical systems and eco-evolutionary dynamics. |
| Len Shaffrey | University of Reading | Atmospheres
Oceans/Aquatic |
I am a Professor of Climate Science at the University of Reading and the Head of NCAS@Reading, the Reading component of the National Centre for Atmospheric Science. My personal research focuses on physical climate variability and change, with a particular focus on extreme weather, including understanding predictability on seasonal to decadal timescales. I’m also the Principal Investigator for the £12.9m NERC National Capability CANARI project, which brings together 80 scientists from across the NERC Research Centres to better understand climate change in the Arctic-North Atlantic region and its impacts on extreme weather in the UK. My interests also include understanding how society is addressing climate change, especially by financial institutions and policymakers. I co-lead the Climate and Finance Research Cluster at the University of Reading, and a Flagship project at the UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment on correlated wind-flood insurance risk and European property damage. |
| Jonathan Dale | University of Reading | Oceans/Aquatic
Ecology/Biodiversity Hydrology |
I have a background in coastal and estuarine science, focusing predominantly on wetland management, evolution and restoration. My wider interests include estuarine hydrology and sediment dynamics, the factors influencing the functioning of habitats such as saltmarsh and mudflat, and the approaches taken to coastal management more generally. I am also interested in the development and application of high resolution remote sensing methods to evaluate spatial and temporal trends and changes, including the use of UAVs. |
| Soon Gweon | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity | My research focuses on the abundance, diversity, activity, and interactions of microbes in various ecosystems, as well as the dissemination of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment. My research group develops and exploits advanced techniques and technologies in both bioinformatics and molecular studies. |
| Nachiketa Chakraborty | University of Reading | Atmospheres
Ecology/Biodiversity |
My research spans two areas broadly. 1. Mathematics underpinning data science which includes causal inference, signal processing, time-series, artificial intelligence and machine learning. 2. Physics including dynamical systems found in nature as in solar/astrophysics or natural atmospheric hazards and their impact on us eg., Space and Earth weather. I aim to study what drives extreme, dynamical phenomena such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections or hazards like hurricanes aided by observational data and applying mathematical techniques including artificial intelligence and causal reasoning. I am interested in learning both the physics of the mechanisms and in forecasting their evolution and impact on us here on Earth (space weather, atmosphere). |
| Suzanne Gray | University of Reading | Atmospheres | My expertise is in atmospheric predictability and processes in midlatitude, Mediterranean, and Arctic cyclones, and deep convective clouds. Research foci are moist processes in cyclones, supported by involvement in the aircraft-based field campaigns, the use and verification of km-scale numerical weather prediction models, and sting jets: descending short-lived wind jets found in some intense cyclones impacting the UK and northwest Europe that can lead to damaging surface winds and gusts. |
| Christopher O’Reilly | University of Reading | Atmospheres
Oceans/Aquatic |
My research broadly focuses on understanding mechanisms of climate variability and change, as well as the predictability of future climate, across a range of timescales. I am primarily interested in atmospheric dynamics, ocean-atmosphere coupling and there role on climate variability in the extratropics. |
| Brian John Pickles | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity
Soils |
I am an ecologist with wide ranging interests that largely focus on species interactions and symbioses across spatial and temporal scales. Much of my work has focused on the plants and fungi that form ectomycorrhizas, from large scale field trials to lab experiments with seedlings and mycelium. I am interested in the palaeoecology and future of mycorrhizal symbioses, especially their responses to climate change. I am also actively engaged in present day reptile conservation and interdisciplinary research on dinosaur-dominated Late Cretaceous ecosystems. |
| Amelia Hood | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity
Soils |
My research centres around sustainable farming and creating management strategies that promote biodiversity, soil health, production, and resilience to climate change. I am particularly interested in silvoarable farming in temperate systems due to its potential to provide all of these benefits in tandem. I often include stakeholders in the research process to co-produce outputs, such as farmer-led ecological experiments. |
| Oscar Martínez-Alvarado | University of Reading | Atmospheres | High-impact weather including: Mid-latitude Windstorms (dynamics and structure); moisture transport and dynamics of atmospheric rivers, including moisture-land interaction; atmospheric blocking (identification and dynamics); forecast and model errors, including representation of convection in mid-latitude systems; climate-change effects on mid-latitude dynamics; Arctic cyclones; extreme precipitation in tropical regions (WCSSP-SEA FORSEA/FORWARDS); other applications (wind/solar energy in Mexico, assessment and forecasting). Currently participating in CANARI with the aim of studying changes in dynamical process in future extreme events (wind and precipitation) over the UK. |
| Chris Westbrook | University of Reading | Atmospheres | I am interested in cloud physics (especially in the ice-phase). I use experimental techniques (example: 3D printed snowflakes falling in fluids) to understand processes in clouds. I use novel remote-sensing observations (G-band radar, polarimetry, Doppler spectra, sub-mm radiometry) to study cloud properties. And I use theory and numerical calculations to understand how the geometry of complex snowflakes affects their evolution and light scattering. |
| Claire Ryder | University of Reading | Atmospheres | Any aspects of mineral dust in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Aircraft measurements, NWP/climate modelling, satellite retrievals, ground-based measurements of dust. Super-coarse dust, transport mechanisms, high resolution meteorological features (e.g. haboobs) and interactions with dust emission and transport, radiative effects, optical properties, impact on aircraft engines & solar energy. Also ash and wildfire smoke. |
| Chuang Wen | University of Reading | Hydrology
Oceans/Aquatic |
My research interests includes Low-carbon energy systems, Smart Cities, Built Environment, Sustainable mobility and Intelligent computing. |
| Prof. Andy Turner | University of Reading | Atmospheres | My research interests cover tropical climate variability and change, with a particular focus on monsoon systems, which provide the water supply for billions of people. My work covers fundamental monsoon processes (including field campaign observations), model systematic error in the tropics, teleconnections and seasonal prediction, the interface between weather and climate, internal variability and long-term climate change. |
| Mathew Owens | University of Reading | Atmospheres | I am interested in space-weather forecasting, in particular adapting methodologies used in meteorology and climate science to this new area. For example, in recent years we’d had a lot of success in applying established data-assimilation methodologies to our in-house solar wind forecast model. Forecast verifications techniques are also of interest. |
| Xiangbo Feng | University of Reading | Atmospheres
Oceans/Aquatic |
My research focus is on better understanding and prediction of tropical cyclones and associated atmospheric and oceanic extremes on different time scales. I evaluate dynamical models, and design tailored statistical models if necessary, for tropical cyclone hazards for operational purposes, via networking with modelling centres, and national forecasting centres. I am also interested in the underpinning physical processes in tropical cyclones (e.g., precursors, genesis and intensification) and associated extremes. I have rich research experience in sea level extremes and data assimilation. |
| Rainer Cramer | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity | From samples (archaeological and current from all species) to data (biomolecular profiles and characterization of metabolites, lipids, peptides/proteins …), including speciation, sex determination, dating, health status (e.g. disease detection), … at high speed and large scale. |
| William Collins | University of Reading | Atmospheres | Atmospheric composition and climate. Climate and air quality effects of reactive gases such as methane, hydrogen and ozone |
| Alice Haughan | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity | Spatial ecology, landscape change particularly links with climate change, forest distribution and composition, human wellbeing and woodlands, ecosystem service modelling |
| Deepa Senapathi | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity | I work on the impacts of environmental (climate & land use) change on biodiversity and ecosystem services. I focus mostly on insect pollinator communities and avian populations and I’m interested in quantifying phenological change as well as spatial distributions affected by changing climate. The impacts of interactions between drivers, testing ecological interventions for future resilience & how changes in beneficial biodiversity impact human livelihoods are also areas I’m working on. |
| Prof Steven Woolnough | University of Reading | Atmospheres | My main interest is in the tropical climate variability on sub-seasonal to seasonal timescales, and it’s representation in weather and climate models. I’m particular interested in the mechanisms by which large-scale modes of variability modulate the local weather, and how well those processes are represented in sub-seasonal and seasonal forecast models, and the consequences for predictability and forecast skill. I’m also interested in how we can use our understanding skill and of biases in the relationships to large-scale modes of variability to develop approaches to make sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasts more useful in decision making processes. |
| John Methven | University of Reading | Atmospheres | Atmospheric dynamics including jet streams, large-scale waves and cyclones. Interested in wide range of phenomena from tropics to polar regions involving a combination of field work, numerical modelling and development of theory to explain physical behaviour. Have also worked on transport of chemical constituents and water in the atmosphere. |
| Joy Singarayer | University of Reading | Atmospheres
Ecology/Biodiversity Hydrology |
I use modelling approaches to help understand of the mechanisms of past, present, and future climate and environmental changes, with particular interest in land surface changes (anthropogenic and natural) and their interactions with climate. I have expertise in climate modelling, vegetation modelling, and recent forays into agent-based model approaches of the coupled human-environment system. Recent work focusses on South America and Africa. |
| Frank Mayle | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity | I am a tropical palaeo-ecologist, interested in past human-environment-climate interactions over centennial/millennial/Holocene time scales. My research focus is tropical South America, in particular Amazonia. I work with palaeo-data – fossil pollen, charcoal – from lake/bog sediments; but collaborate with modellers, ecologists, archaeologists, and other palaeo-environmental scientists. |
| Liz Shaw | University of Reading | Soils
Ecology/Biodiversity |
1. Plant and Soil Microbiology and Bio(geo)chemistry:
2. Microbial ecology and plant-microbe biochemistry of xenobiotic decomposition |
| Christopher Scott | University of Reading | Atmospheres | Space Weather (the impact of the Sun and solar wind on the Earth’s space environment and technology) Solar Terrestrial Physics (The interaction between the Sun and the Earth) Auroral physics (energy deposition in the upper atmosphere) The Earth’s ionosphere (the electrified fraction of the Earth’s upper atmosphere) Atmospheric Electricity (The generation of charge in the upper and lower atmosphere and the transfer of charge between them) Long-term changes to Earth’s ionosphere and thermosphere (in response to climate change and changes in solar activity) Lightning signatures in archaeological data (detection and study of the mechanisms involved) |
| Ricardo Grau-Crespo | University of Reading | Oceans/Aquatic | I am a computational chemist, with an interest in modelling minerals (as well as materials), using techniques ranging from quantum chemistry to machine learning. I have a track record of collaborative experimental-computational research in geochemistry, including understanding how mineral records are used as proxies for past sea temperatures or volcanic eruptions. |
| Nancy K Nichols
Email: n.k.nichols@reading.ac.uk |
University of Reading | Atmospheres
Oceans/Aquatic Hydrology |
Data assimilation |
| Laura Wilcox | University of Reading | Atmospheres | Regional climate responses to aerosol changes Climate extremes Attribution of climate change Atmospheric dynamics |
| Kieran Hunt | University of Reading | Atmospheres
Hydrology |
I’m interested in using data-driven/numerical/dynamical methods to better understand and predict extreme weather events in the tropics, especially India and the Himalaya. |
| Remi Tailleux | University of Reading | Oceans/Aquatic
Atmospheres |
Energetics and thermodynamics of the oceans and atmosphere
Parameterisations of subgridscale turbulent mixing processes in the oceans
Physics of turbulent stratified mixing
Effects of a nonlinear equation of state and double diffusion on mixing
Physically-based definitions of `spiciness’ in the oceans
Theory of oceanic water masses
Role of meso-scale ocean eddies on momentum and mass transports
Mean flow and topographic effects on oceanic Rossby waves
Theory of hurricanes
Baroclinic life cycles in atmospheric storm tracks
Constraining the ocean interior from the ocean surface
Optimal parameter estimation approaches to improving oceanic heat uptake
Atlantic meridional overturning circulation
|
| Mark Muetzelfeldt | University of Reading | Atmospheres |
The organization of deep convection, particularly in the form of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). How deep convective updrafts create and interact with larger anvil clouds. What we can learn about updrafts from radar, including space-borne radar. How these processes can be modelled at a variety of scales: from high-resolution process models to high-resolution global models. How the radiation budget is affected by biases in updraft/anvil clouds in global, km-scale simulations.
|
| Andrea Dittus | University of Reading | Atmospheres |
My research interests include various aspects of historical and future climate variability and change, most recently understanding changes in climate we might expect after reaching net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases (mitigation scenarios). I am also generally interested in understanding the relative role of modes of climate variability and external forcings (GHGs, anthropogenic & volcanic aerosols) in shaping global and regional climate in the recent past and future climate projections.
|
| Emily Black | University of Reading | Atmospheres
Hydrology |
Variability and change in the hydrological cycle
Predictability on sub-seasonal to seasonal time scales Climatic extremes Rainfall monitoring Climate services African climate |
| Buwen Dong | University of Reading | Atmospheres | Coupled ocean atmosphere interaction
Atlantic ocean variability and its impact on global climate The impact of aerosol on regional and global climate Asian monsoon variability and predictability Paleoclimate modelling Detection and attribution of climate change |
| Tom Breeze | University of Reading | Ecology/Biodiversity | My work is very interdisciplinary, focusing on links between biodiversity and people. I am an ecologist by training, but have a PhD in economics and mainly work on the economics of biodiversity, particularly pollination services.
Within the NERC realm, I am especially interested in: 1) the biodiversity and economic impacts of landscape changes, 2) the costs and benefits of biodiversity monitoring and the data it generates, 3) the impact of novel agricultural methods (especially agroforestry) on biodiversity and food production, 4) developing new biodiversity monitoring data products. My main work has been on pollinators, but I am interested in any aspect of biodiversity in any realm. |
| David Brayshaw | University of Reading | Atmospheres | Climate services & climate impact modelling, particularly relating to energy / power systems & telecommunications; subseasonal, seasonal and decadal forecasting; large-scale atmospheric dynamics, particularly North Atlantic / jet / storm-tracks |
| Prof. Atta Badii | University of Reading | Atmospheres
Soils Oceans/Aquatic Ecology/Biodiversity |
Machine Learning models applications to:
1) Climatic, environmental and earthquake prediction particularly those caused by extreme weather such as storms and flash floods, and oceanic /tectonic movements such as tsunami, earthquake 2) Pollination – Biodiversity 3) Precision Agriculture and Soil Quality Sustainability Management |