Professional summary

A water quality modeller focusing on understanding effects of diffuse and point sources of pollution in freshwater river basins with particular interests in eutrophication impacts in urbanising catchments. With a BSc in Geochemistry (University of Reading) and a PhD in Upland Catchment Hydrochemistry (Imperial College, London), his research experience at BGS, ADAS and since 2003 at UKCEH includes: (i) modelling soil erosion and phosphorus dynamics during storm events in small agricultural catchments, (ii) developing regional models of river nitrate pollution, (iii) evaluating impacts of potential environmental- and management-induced changes (including the establishment of riparian shade) on river temperature, phytoplankton, nutrients, dissolved oxygen and ecosystem metabolism fluxes and their relationship to light and river hydrodynamics. Work under the third of these areas uses the hourly-resolution 1-D process-based QUESTOR river network quality model.

Working extensively with academics and consultants, he has contributed to development of modelling tools used directly by policymakers. He has been lead-PI on two large 3-year research projects with a focus on water resources and quality in urbanising catchments (the NERC Changing Water Cycle £850k POLLCURB project, also allied to a global citizen science initiative led by Earthwatch Europe) and nature-based solutions for multiple socio-environmental benefits (JPI Urban Europe-NSFC £1.0m DeSCIPHER project: international collaboration with Chinese and Norwegian organisations). Work with university academics has included annual co-ordination of a workshop at Royal Holloway University of London where he is Visiting Professor. He is an Associate Editor for Hydrological Sciences Journal.

Selected publications