Professional summary

Research Interests

Ecotoxicological researcher who has worked on assessing the effects of anthropogenic stressors and pollution on soil communities in agricultural, urban and semi-natural and natural ecosystems Research on a range of projects aimed at understanding the response of soil organisms and soil communities to environmental perturbations – notably chemical pollution. Currently manage or contribute to research projects supporting the development of evidence based risk approaches for chemical managements.

Current areas of work include developing risk assessment schemes for nanomaterials (EU NanoFASE project, EU NanTOES project); modelling the chemistry and bioavailability of nanomaterials during waste treatment and after release to soils (NERC-USEPA TINE project); the use of physiological traits to assess species sensitivity to chemical hazards (NERC Standard grant, EU Marie Curie action); the measurement and predictive modelling of the toxicity of pesticides (EFSA project) and radionuclides (EU STAR and COMET projects); and the application of genetic and epigenetic approaches to understand adaptation to long-term chemical exposure (NERC, EU FP7 Comet project). Through these and previous work, I have developed a track record of papers and other outputs relating to these subjects.

My previous advisory experience includes project management boards for major international collaborative actions, membership of expert advisory boards for Environment Agency initiative on contaminated land assessment and an EFSA Working Groups on emerging risks. I have also contributed extensively to International initiatives on the risk assessment of chemical mixtures and nanomaterials. 

Brief CV

1994-1997 - Post-Doctoral Research Assistant, University of Reading, UK  

1998-2003 - NERC Advanced Fellow, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Monks Wood and Cardiff University, UK

2003- 2009 - Principal Scientist, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Monks Wood, UK

2009-2013 - Principal Scientist, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxon, UK

Qualifications

1986-1989 - BSc Biology, University of Manchester

1991-1994 - PhD, “The ecological relevance of the OECD earthworm toxicity test, and its use in establishing soil quality criteria”, Univeristy of Reading

Panels, committees and memberships

2014-           Deputy coordinator EU H20/20 NanoFASE project

2014-           UK Regulator-Researcher Knoweldge Exchange Forum on Environmental Nanotechnology

2013-           UK advisor at meetings of the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials.

2010 -          Expert advisor to the EU Strategic Alliance in Radioecology (STAR) project.

2013-2014 - Steering Committee NERC Resource Recovery fom Waste Programme

2010-2014 - Deputy Coordinator of the EU FP7 NanoFATE project.

2010-2012 - EFSA Working Group Member on Emerging Risk Issues

2003-2008 - Advisor to the Environment Agency for project work to develop and road test and ecological risk assessment framework for contaminated land. 

 

Publications

A few of my publications are listed below and a full up-to-date list with links is available at http://www.researcherid.com/rid/E-9466-2010

Publications