Professional summary
Research Interests
I am a plant ecophysiologist and have worked for CEH since 1998 after completing a degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Exeter and an MSc in Environmental Science at the University of Aberdeen. Whilst working for CEH I have completed a part-time PhD on 'The effects of ozone on semi-natural vegetation' at the University of York in 2007.
My role includes design, implementation and publishing of experimental work, funded mainly by NERC, Defra and the EU, to inform and quantify potential risks to vegetation from air pollution. I am responsible for the running of the solardomes experimental facility, comprising 8 solardomes, 9 rings for Free Air Ozone Exposure and 6 closed chambers, with a total capital cost of approximately £350k, and manage associated budgets, staff and students.
I am Chair of the ICP Vegetation, which is an international research programme investigating the impacts of air pollutants on crops and (semi-)natural vegetation. It reports to the Working Group on Effects (WGE) of the UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP). The programme focuses on the impacts of ozone pollution on vegetation and the atmospheric deposition of heavy metals, nitrogen and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to vegetation.I also take a lead in synthesis of data from researchers predominantly from across Europe and analyse this to produce outputs that inform policy, in particular for setting Critical Levels for ozone pollution within the LRTAP Convention. Recent research includes interactions with environmental stressors including drought and excess nitrogen, investigating quantification of combined impacts and the mechanisms involved.
Brief CV
2020 - present Chair, ICP Vegetation
2019 - present Chair , CAPER (Community of Air Pollution Effects Researchers)
2015 – present Chair, Working Group on Evidence of Ozone Impacts. LRTAP Convention Ozone Critical Levels workshop
2014 – present ICP Vegetation representative at ICP Forests meetings
2014 – present ICP Forests ‘Air Quality’ Expert Panel member
2007 - present Plant Ecophysiologist, Band 6, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK
1998 - 2007 Plant Ecophysiologist, Band 7,Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK
Qualifications
2008 Ph.D. The effects of ozone on semi-natural vegetation, University of York
1997 M.Sc. Environmental Science, University of Aberdeen
1995 B.Sc. Biological Sciences, 2(i), University of Exeter
2008 Ph.D. The effects of ozone on semi-natural vegetation, University of York
1997 M.Sc. Environmental Science, University of Aberdeen
1995 B.Sc. Biological Sciences, 2(i), University of Exeter