I joined the former Institute of Freshwater Ecology in 1995 and worked on a number of projects related to metal chemistry modelling and surface water acidification. Since then my work has developed into understanding and predicting the dynamics, bioavailability, toxicity and risks of metals, based on their chemical speciation. Since 2005, my interests have broadened into the dynamics, bioavailability and toxicity of nanomaterials, and into methods for advanced ecological risk assessment of chemicals.
My research interests examine the impact of environmental change and disturbance on terrestrial ecosystems, focussing on the interaction between the atmosphere and biosphere, using Earth Observation and GIS to examine the interactions between ecosystems and ecosystems services across a range of habitats. I use my skills in modelling and data fusion to generate new views of complex environmental issues, aiming to provide solutions to problems across a wide range of ecological and hydrological spheres. I have been involved in several projects, as PI, Co-PI, and as Postdoctoral Researcher. I led the development of a major research platform in the Ribble and Wyre catchments, one of four CEH Source-to-Sea Observatories, the development of the Defra habitat connectivity indicator for CEH and the Defra Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory project on behalf of CEH. I currently lead innovation projects aiming to introduce new real time carbon sensing technologies to the scientific community and I am researching the use of UAVs for fine scale mapping and habitat classification of remote environments.
I graduated from Lancaster University with a BSc (Hons) Environmental Science in the summer of 2012. I briefly worked on the Ecosystem Land Use Modelling (ELUM) project as a field and laboratory assistant based at CEH Lancaster. I joined the Long Term Large Scale (LTLS) project under the Macronutrient cycles Programme as a Research Associate. I specialised in soil and water processing and analysis, including radiocarbon dating. From this I began an independent PhD project, largely done in my own time. I am now currently working on the development of a UV miniaturised Fourier Transform spectrometer for detection of freshwater dissolved organic carbon, and the EU funded Nanomaterial Fate and Speciation in the Environment (NanoFASE) project.