Editorial Board
Editorial Boards are an important aspect of any journal and UCL Open: Environment is no different. Governed by an expert and international membership, the Editorial Board provides scientific and scholarly expertise to maintain high publishing standards. You can read more about the UCL Open: Environment Editorial Board Membership Terms of Reference openly online at https://journals.uclpress.co.uk/ucloe/site/EBM-terms.
Editors-in-Chief
Prof Dan Osborn, Chair of Human Ecology, Earth Sciences, UCL, UK
Prof Aiduan Borrion, Head of Environmental Engineering Section at UCL and Co-Director of the UCL Circular Economy Lab (CircEL), UCL, UK
Editors
Dr Yasemin Aktas, Lecturer, Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering (CEGE), Faculty of Engineering Science, UCL, UK
Prof Jun-Ki Choi, O.Jack and Opal Anderson Endowed Chair, University of Dayton, USA
Dr Lucilla Spini, Biological Anthropologist, Independent Scholar, Florence, Italy
Dr Craig Styan, Associate Professor, School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences, Adelaide University, Australia
Editorial Board Members
Dr Francesco Aletta, Associate Professor, Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, UCL, UK
Dr Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson, Senior Researcher (EMIC), Institute for Environment and Human Security, United Nations University, Germany, and Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, UK
Prof Sarah Bell, City of Melbourne Chair in Urban Resilience and Innovation, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne, Australia
Dr Stephen Blenkinsop, Senior Research Associate, School of Engineering, Newcastle University, UK
Dr Chris Brierley, Associate Professor of Climate Science, Department of Geography, UCL, UK
Prof Luiza Campos, Professor of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, UCL, UK
Dr Carmelina Cosmi, Researcher, Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis (IMAA), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Italy
Prof Carina J. Fearnley, Professor in Warnings and Science Communication, Department of Science and Technology Studies, UCL, UK
Dr Marlos Goes, Associate Scientist, Cooperative Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, NOAA AOML, University of Miami, USA
Dr Matthew O. Gribble, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine – Division of Occupational, Environmental, and Climate Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA
Dr Jesús Aguirre Gutiérrez, Researcher, School of Geography and the Environment, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, UK
Prof Zhongda Lin, LASG, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Prof Elisa Morgera, Professor of Global Environmental Law, Law School, Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law and Governance, Strathclyde University, UK
Dr Filomena Pietrapertosa, Senior researcher, Institute of Methodology for Environmental Analysis – IMAA, National Research Council of Italy – CNR, Italy
Dr Emmanuel Raju, Associate Professor, Public Health, Copenhagen Centre for Disaster Research and School of Global Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Dr Francesco Salustri, Lecturer in Economics, Institute for Global Health, Faculty of Pop Health Sciences, UCL, UK
Dr Antonio Santoro, Research Fellow, Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry – DAGRI, University of Florence, Italy
Dr Beatrice Smyth, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Research Centre in Sustainable Energy, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Dr Julia Tomei, Lecturer in Energy, Resources and Development, UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources, Bartlett School of Energy, Environment and Resources, UCL, UK
Dr Carla-Leanne Washbourne, Associate Professor in Environmental Science and Policy, STEaPP, UCL, UK
Advisory Board Members
Dr Mustafa Abbas, Research Clinical Fellow on Acute Medicine, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
Dr Priyanie Hippola Amerasinghe, Emeritus Scientist, Human and Environmental Health, International Water Management Institute, Sri Lanka
Prof Melanie Austen, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Marine Institute, University of Plymouth, UK
Dr Graham Bickler, Public Health England, UK
Dr Pam Berry, Senior Research Fellow, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, UK
Prof Fiona Marshall, Professor of Environment and Development, Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School, University of Sussex, UK
Prof Dominik Weiss, Professor for Environmental Geochemistry, Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London UK
Editorial Board Member profiles
Dr Mustafa Abbas
Medical doctor, graduated 2013 from UCL medical school. BSc International Health (UCL) with special interest/dissertation in climate change and health. Author in the 2009 UCL/Lancet Commission on Managing the Health Effects of Climate Change – a high profile academic study. Worked with Department of Health on environmental health policy in 2010 under their global health unit. Organisational work with British Council and Climate and Health Council UK on climate change and health academia and political advocacy between 2008 and 2011. Most global health focus since then has been on migration and health but longstanding interest in environmental health. Main research interests are in climate change, ecology and global health. The most important academic work I’ve been involved in was the 2009 UCL/Lancet Commission. This has strongly influenced my approach in global health as a whole to be multidisciplinary. I am very interested in academia with a ‘purpose’ and translation of evidence into policy. My main role in the megajournal, I expect, will be around environment and health at a relatively junior level and also strategic support for the common goal of multidisciplinarity and evidence into policy. I am also very interested in being involved in subjects outside my relative remit as general support and for my own experience and exposure.
Dr Yasemin Aktas
A structural/conservation engineer by training, I am currently a lecturer at Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering (CEGE) in a programme jointly developed between CEGE, Bartlett School of Architecture and Bartlett Institute of Environmental Design and Engineering, teaching sustainability of building materials and sustainable building design able to cope with climate related pressures. My research interests include climate induced atmospheric and geophysical hazards on the built environment and their mitigation (both for mid-latitude and (sub)tropical regions), urban climate modelling and the impact of built environment on the urban microclimate, outdoor and indoor thermal comfort, sustainable building design to reduce vulnerability to climatic impact, and the indoor environment and its impact on resident wellbeing. In my research I collaborate with environmental and structural engineers, building and atmospheric phycisists, urban planners and policy makers, among others. I am a member of Asian Network on Climate Science and Technology (ANCST) Special Topic Group on Urban Climate, Meteorology and Air Quality, Deputy Academic Director of UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings and a core member of UCL Environment Domain Early Careers Research Network (EDEN).
Associate Prof Francesco Aletta
Dr Francesco Aletta is an Associate Professor in Building Physics and Soundscape at Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, University College London (UCL). His research focuses on environmental acoustics and soundscape studies. Francesco is committed to advancing soundscape research through his contribution to the ISO 12913 series on soundscapes, which provides a comprehensive framework for assessing and managing urban sound environments. Francesco’s research has informed international policy discussions. He authored a United Nations Environment Programme report in 2022, addressing emerging environmental concerns related to noise and its impact on public health and urban environments. His work is frequently referred in policy documents and guidelines aimed at promoting healthier and more sustainable sound environments globally. As part of his standardization efforts, Francesco coordinated the Soundscape Attributes Translation Project, an international collaboration of more than 100 scholars worldwide. Francesco is a member of the Italian Acoustical Society (AIA), the Acoustical Society of America (ASA), the Institute of Acoustics (IOA), and serves as Chair of the Technical Committee Noise of the European Acoustics Association (EAA).
Dr Priyanie Hippola Amerasinghe
Priyanie Amerasinghe engages in multidisciplinary research studies in the areas of water, environment and health. Her current research interests are, wise use of wetlands and their conservation, water quality and emerging pollutants with special reference to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment, and safe use of wastewater in food production. She works mostly in the urban and periurban environments, specifically looking at the impacts of urbanization, resource utilization by vulnerable communities and institutional arrangements for inclusive and sustainable development. She works very closely with government departments as well as international organizations and engages in public policy discussions and advocacy related to her areas of research. She has over 35 years of research and administrative experience working across multiple disciplines that are aimed at enhancing human well-being. She has published widely.
Prof Melanie Austen
Mel Austen is Professor at University of Plymouth, honorary Prof. at University of Exeter, Member of UK Government’s Natural Capital Committee and of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. She leads and advises on inter/transdisciplinary marine environment research at the interface of social and natural science in the UK, EU and internationally to support policy and management for sustainable ecosystems. She currently leads the £6.7m UKRI GCRF Blue Communities capacity building Programme, a collaboration between UK and SE Asian institutes to improve livelihoods, food security, health and wellbeing of coastal communities in ODA countries of SE Asia.
She was on the Expert Advisory Group for the UK Government Office for Science Foresight Future of the Sea project, was the first Chief Scientific Advisor for the UK Marine Management Organisation, and chair of the Marine Board working group Valuing Marine Ecosystems. She has published more than 100 research papers.
Dr Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson
Dr Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson researches (im)mobility, migration, children, gender, health and mental wellbeing in the context of environmental stress, disasters and climatic changes as a Senior Researcher at UNU-EHS and University of Sussex. Her research combines quantitative and qualitative methods (commonaly used witin Development Studies, Geography, Cultural Studies/Anthropology, International Relations, Psychology and Sociology) such as Q, survey design, storytelling methodology, personal life history interviews and discourse analysis. She is also a part of WG1 and WG2 in the Lancet Countdown initiative that is tracking the connections between climate change and public health until 2030 and an editorial board member of Climate and Development and of UCL Open: Environment.
Prof Sarah Bell>
My research has primarily focussed on the sustainability of urban water systems, with particular emphasis on community engagement with infrastructure. I work on bottom-up approaches to sustainability and resilience, including community co-design. I am an engineer using qualitative social research methods, drawing on theories from science and technology studies. I am a Chartered Engineer, and Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Chartered Institution of Water and Enviornmental Management.
Dr Pam Berry
She has a wide range of environmental research interests covering: the integrated assessment of climate change impacts and adaptation, including synergies and trade-offs in sectoral mitigation and adaptation measures and their impact on biodiversity; conceptual aspects of ecosystem services; the links between biodiversity and ecosystem services and the assessment of ecosystem services; nature-based solutions as a more systemic way of addressing societal challenges; and the translation of science into practice and policy through stakeholder engagement. She is also a Systems Research Scientist in Land Use in Defra’s Systems Research Programme, which seeks to demonstrate the benefits of a taking a systems approach to issues and to mainstream systems thinking and practice within the Department.
Dr Stephen Blenkinsop
Stephen is a Senior Research Associate in the School of Engineering at Newcastle University, focusing on the development and analysis of historical climate datasets. His work has developed new methods for the quality control of rainfall data for improved analysis of spatial and temporal variability in extreme events, including the examination of trends and variability. He is especially interested in change in sub-daily extreme precipitation and how these are affected by thermodynamic and large-scale climatic drivers. He is also interested in future change in climate extremes and their impacts on society, including hazards such as flood, drought, heat wave, subsidence and wind storms. He is also interested in the impacts of climate change on health. His work has included collaboration with the water industry, particularly considering how urban drainage systems may need to be adapted for increased future flooding.
Prof Aiduan Borrion
Aiduan Borrion is a Professor of Environmental Engineering specialising sustainability, life cycle assessment (LCA), and the circular economy. Her research develops quantitative sustainability methods and tools to inform decision-making in technology development, business innovation, and policy formulation, with applications across energy, food, manufacturing, waste, water, infrastructure, and the built environment. An internationally recognised expert in sustainability and LCA, Professor Borrion regularly advises industry and government departments on carbon reduction, net-zero strategies, and sustainable development. She has led multiple peer reviews of product LCAs for ISO compliance and directs UCL’s award-winning short course on Life Cycle Assessment, delivering bespoke training programmes for organisations in the UK and worldwide. In essence, Professor Borrion combines rigorous technical expertise in environmental engineering with a deep commitment to applying sustainability tools in real-world systems—bridging research, policy, and industry to advance a more circular and low-carbon future.
Dr Chris Brierley
Dr Brierley is currently Associate Professor of Climate Science at UCL, having arrived at the Geography Department in 2011. He is a climate modeller who is interested in uncertianty in projections and the simulation of past climates. He is co-chair of a working group of the international collaboration on Palaeoclimate Model Intercomparison Project (PMIP), with an focus on climate variability. Beyond this specific expertise, he has broad interests across the wide range of climate change-related research. He has contributed to interdisciplinary research papers with collaborators from statistics, geology, hydrology, meteorology, oceanography, ecology and environmental physics. He also teaches a joint MSc module on cities and climate change with an urban planner designed to explore the interdisciplinary aspects of the topic.
Dr Luiza Campos
I’m a civil and environmental engineer with a PhD by Imperial College, UK and an MSc in Water and Sanitation by University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Before moving to the UK, I worked 10 years for the water utility of Goias (SANEAGO) and another 10 years as a lecturer at the Federal University of Goias in Brazil. I’m an Associate Professor at the UCL Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering where I’ve worked since 2007. I’m currently the head of the Water Management Research Group and Co-Director of the Centre for Urban Sustainability and Resilience. My research lies within water and sanitation with particular interest on designing, testing, implementing technologies and tools to reduce environmental pollution and enhance human health and wellbeing. I’ve participated in multidisciplinary research that involves collaborations with other disciplines such as Chemistry, Electrochemical, Microbiology, Agriculture, Biology, Social Sciences, Art, Education and Policy. So, this provides me a broad and diverse scientific background that fits well within the scope of the UCL Open: Environment Journal.
Prof Jun-Ki Choi
Jun-Ki Choi, Ph.D. is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Dayton and Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Industrial Training and Assessment Center (ITAC). His research focuses on industrial decarbonization, renewable energy systems, life cycle assessment, circular economy, and multiscale energy and environmental modeling that connects engineering design with policy and societal impacts.
Dr. Choi has led more than $9 million in externally funded research and has developed an extensive body of scholarly work published in leading journals on energy efficiency, sustainable manufacturing, and low carbon industrial transitions. Through the DOE ITAC program, his team has conducted and overseen more than 1,100 industrial energy assessments, helping manufacturers reduce energy use, operating costs, and carbon emissions while training the next generation of clean energy engineers.
He received his Ph.D. from Purdue University and his M.S. from the University of Michigan. He currently holds the Anderson Endowed Chair in Engineering Innovation at the University of Dayton.
Dr Carmelina Cosmi
Carmelina is senior researcher at CNR, MS degree in Physics and Ph.D. degree in Methods and Techniques for Environmental Monitoring. Her research interests concern Energy Systems Analysis , Rational Use of Resources, Energy-Environmental Modelling and Planning, Policy Assessment, Smart Governance. She has participated in the EERA/JP “Smart Cities” acting as CNR representative in JPI Urban Europe/UERA – TGW4 Urban Governance and Participation. She represents CNR in the Steering Committee of the Energy Cluster of the Basilicata Region. She took part in the IEA-ETSAP Programme, contributing to Annex 33, Annex X and Annex XI, and in several international research projects among which Interreg MED PrioritEE, Interreg IVC RENERGY, SEE ORIENTGATE, SEE RE-SEEties, IEE RES2020 FP7 REACCESS, FP6 IP NEEDS, LIFE CBSTD and many national projects funded the Italian Ministry. She has been reviewer for many ISI journals and author of many scientific publications appeared in book chapters, international journals and conference proceedings.
Dr Carina J. Fearnley
Carina is Associate Professor of Science and Technology Studies at University College London. She is an interdisciplinary researcher, drawing on relevant expertise in the social sciences on scientific uncertainty, risk, and complexity to focus on how natural hazard early warning systems can be made more effective, specifically alert level systems. She also has interest in the transdisciplinary potential of art and science collaborations around environmental hazards. Carina established the World Organisation of Volcano Observatories Volcano Alert Level Working Group, and edited the first publication dedicated to Volcanic Crisis Communication (Observing the Volcano World: Volcanic Crisis Communication). Carina studied Geology and Mining at Imperial College London prior to working in London City’s financial sector. She completed her PhD at the UCL Hazard Research Centre before lecturing at Aberystwyth University. Carina is a regular consultant for Bournemouth University Disaster Management Centre, and frequently appears on national and international media following significant hazard events.
Dr Marlos Goes
I am a physical oceanographer with research interests in climate variability, large-scale ocean circulation, air-sea interaction, observing system designs, and data analysis. In my work, I use mostly oceanic and remote sensing data, and climate model simulations for process studies. I have experience working on oceanographic instrumentation, environmental economics related to geoengineering, and Bayesian statistics. My work is focused on monitoring and understanding environmental phenomena to improve prediction and bring societal benefits.
Dr Matthew O. Gribble
Dr. Gribble is an environmental epidemiologist with post-doctoral training in biostatistics. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology. His work involves regular collaboation with earth scientists, ecologists, and statisticians.
Dr Jesús Aguirre Gutiérrez
I am a researcher at the University of Oxford -Environmental Change Institute, UK and Naturalis Biodiversity Center in The Netherlands. I am interested in understanding how environmental conditions shape the distribution of species at local and global spatial extends. I use plants, pollinators and past, present and projected future environmental conditions to model their ecological niches and spatial distribution. Currently my main focus is in understanding the relationship between plant functional trait diversity, the vegetation structure and climatic conditions using field-based and remote sensing approaches.
Prof Zhongda Lin
Extreme climate events (drought, flood, and heatwaves) are putting pressures on the environment from ecosystem and water resources to human health, energy, and food, as are gradual processes such as sea level rising, sea ice loss, lowered biodiversity in response to global warming. My research focuses on climate variability (including extreme climate events) and climate change, especially in mid and high laitudes, based on climate diagnosis and modeling. My research interests include: 1) climate effect and dynamics of mid- and high-latitude atmospheric circulation; 2) extreme climate events; (3) change and effect of Arctic sea ice; 4) interaction between atmosphere and fire; and 5) monsoon.
Prof Fiona Marshall
Fiona is a researcher, postgraduate teacher and advisor in environmental change, international development and science, technology and innovation policy; with an emphasis on natural resource management and inclusive resilience of food systems. More broadly she is interested in the theory and practice of transformations to sustainability (which address both environmental integrity and social justice) and the role of transdisciplinary research in transformative innovations. Building from a background in plant sciences and ecology, she is engaged in the design and implementation of transdisciplinary action research initiatives which bridge the natural and social sciences and the formal and informal sector; emphasising co-learning with local communities, NGOs and policy makers. Diverse case studies (concerning food, water and waste, ecosystem services and poverty alleviation, rural-urban dynamics, environmental pollution and health etc.) share common goals in seeking to contribute to enhanced understanding of synergies and trade-offs between SDGs, and the democratisation of science and technology decision making for more inclusive and resilient futures.
Prof Elisa Morgera
Elisa specializes in international, EU and comparative environmental law, and has researched specifically the interface between biodiversity law and human rights, ocean governance and business responsibility. She is currently the Director of the global inter-disciplinary research collaboration One Ocean Hub, funded by the UKRI GCRF, which integrates marine and social sciences, arts and the law (with a focus on human rights and the marine environment).
Prof Dan Osborn
Researched the environmental fate and impacts of a range of chemicals including metals, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls and polyaromatic hydrocarbons found in terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments. Identified biological mechanisms by which impacts occurred and might be mitigated. Investigated a range of wildlife mortality incidents in the UK and the EU to ascertain the role of pollution in those events, conducting a range of monitoring studies where needed to ensure harm due to pollution was minimised or eliminated. Conducted studies on environmental aspects of industrial accidents in relation to the revision of the EU Seveso Directive and and the criteria to be used to define a major accident in relation to the environment. Assessed the effect of exposures to mixtures of chemicals. Worked extensively on the technical advice and policy basis of industrial pollution control and the regulation of industrial plants with the potential for major accidents in both the UK and the EU. Developed expertise on the various approaches to environmental risk assessment, particularly in relation to pesticides, industrial chemicals and contaminated land. Formerly acted as Chair and deputy Chair of advisory committees with government and industry dealing with risk assessment. Helped initiate the policy debate on ecosystem services, contributing in various roles to the two UK National Ecosystem Assessments. Co-led the people and built environment aspects of the Evidence Report underpinning the Second UK Climate Change Risk Assessment. Currently interested in the links between natural resources and people’s wellbeing and how knowledge of these linkages can improve our lives and Co-Chair of the UCL Environment Domain.
Dr Filomena Pietrapertosa
MS degree in Environmental Engineering, 2000; Ph.D. degree in Methods and Techniques for Environmental Monitoring, 2004. She is senior researcher at Institute of CNR-IMAA since 2005. Since 2000 she has been working as energy systems’ modeller implementing analysis with the MARKAL/TIMES model generators at local and national scale. Her research interests include climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies at urban scale, energy efficiency measures, LCA, renewable energy and awareness raising strategies. She cooperates to and provides support to local authorities in developing and implementing sustainable energy strategies. She is actively involved in the EURO-LCP initiative, a group of scientists across the 28 (incl. UK) member states of the Europe regularly analysing a representative sample of local, regional, and national climate change plans and policies in these countries. Filomena contributes to the Urban Europe Research Alliance (UERA) of JPI Urban Europe as Thematic Expert for CNR in the TWG2: Urban Environmental Sustainability and Resilience.
Dr Francesco Salustri
Francesco is a Lecturer in Economics at the UCL Institute for Global Health, where he also serves as Deputy Co-director for the MSc in Health Economics and Decision Science. Prior to UCL, Francesco held research positions at the University of Oxford, the University of Turin, the London School of Economics, and SOAS. He studied Mathematics in Rome and Economics in Toulouse. In April 2018 he obtained a PhD from University of Rome “Tor Vergata” with a thesis on the behavioural economics of responsible consumption. His research focuses on the behavioural aspects of health economics, environmental economics, and social responsibility. Francesco has also been regularly involved in advocacy and consultancy projects for a number of institutions, including the Italian Ministry for Environment and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Dr Antonio Santoro
Antonio Santoro, PhD, is Research Fellow at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI) of the University of Florence (Italy), where he teaches Forest Resources and Landscape Monitoring. He participated in two special projects of the Ministry of Agricultural Policies, including the research on the National Catalogue of Historic Rural Landscapes, and in two landscape restoration projects on behalf of the FAI (Italian National Trust). As a freelancer he carried out consultancy for FAI, for ISMEA, for the UNESCO WHL dossier of the Valdobbiadene Hills, and for the Management Plan of the UNESCO site Portovenere, Cinque Terre and Islands. His research topics currently focus on traditional agricultural systems, rural landscape, sustainable forest management, and traditional agroforestry systems. He has published scientific articles in international journals and he is reviewer for different journals as well as a Guest Editor for the journal Sustainability.
Dr Beatrice Smyth
Dr Beatrice Smyth is a senior lecturer in the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast, and is part of the Research Centre in Sustainable Energy. Her research is focused on environmental impacts, and specific areas of interest include energy and carbon life cycle analyses, optimisation of energy pathways, resource quantification and mapping, and economic assessment. Ongoing research projects include nutrient management of digestate combined with energy recovery, the use of short rotation coppice willow to reduce agricultural run-off and improve water quality, hydrogen for heavy-duty transport, microplastic pollution in drinking water, and the sustainable use of plastics in a circular economy. Prior to moving to Queen’s in 2013, Beatrice worked in both the public and private sectors, mainly in energy/carbon management and in geotechnical and environmental engineering. Beatrice has wide experience of working in multi-disciplinary teams, with colleagues from psychology, management, public health, politics and sociology.
Dr Lucilla Spini
Dr. Lucilla Spini is a biological anthropologist with expertise in biodiversity conservation, environment/health, and environmental policy. Over the past 20 years, she has held various positions within international organizations, including as an Associate Expert at UNESCO Division of Ecological Sciences, Programme Officer of the Global Terrestrial Observing System at FAO, and Executive Officer Global Environmental Change and Human Health at the UNU Institute for Water, Environment and Health. She has served as Adjunct Professor at the McMaster University’s School of Geography and Earth Sciences, and as Giorgio Ruffolo Research Fellow in Sustainability Science at Harvard University’s J. F. Kennedy School of Government. Dr. Spini holds a B.A. (Hons.) in anthropology from New York University, a Laurea in foreign languages and literature from the University of Florence, and a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in human biology and Doctor of Philosophy (D.Phil.) in biological anthropology, both from the University of Oxford.
Dr Craig Styan
Craig is a marine ecologist who has spent the last 20 years working in and outside of academia. His research aims to better understand and manage the impacts of energy and natural resource mangement, particularly in the marine environment. Consequently, he works across a wide range of areas, including: environmental monitoring and statistical analysis, ecotoxicology and pollution studies, environmental policy and impact assessment, engineering and economics, though to studies of ‘Social Licence to Operate’. To do this Craig works regularly with industry partners and community groups and, increasingly, with a diversity of other scientists, engineers, geographers, lawyers and social scientists.
Dr Julia Tomei
My research advances understanding of the human and political dimensions of energy and resource use in developing countries. My work engages with research users from policy, academic and industry and examines the practical and policy mechanisms that can advance sustainable development. I draw on a range of social science theories and methods in my research and regard my experience and outlook as truly interdisciplinary. I have published more than 20 papers in a range of leading peer-reviewed journals, including Nature Energy, the Lancet, and Energy Policy, and have worked in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America.
Dr Carla-Leanne Washbourne
I am an interdisciplinary researcher and practitioner working at the interface of science and public policy. My work seeks to understand how decision-making and planning in urban settings is influenced by prevailing knowledge systems, particularly focussed on urban environment and sustainability topics. I have a good technical grasp of a range of topics across earth sciences, environmental sciences and science policy. I completed my PhD in Geosciences and MSc in Engineering Geology at the University of Newcastle (UK) and a BSc (hons) in Natural Sciences at Durham University. I am employed as a Associate Professor in Environmental Science and Policy at University College London (UCL), in the department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) and as such am deeply aligned with, and respectful of the challenges of, promoting and publishing inter-/multi- and post-disciplinary work. I am a member of the UCL Urban Innovation and Policy Laboratory and a Research Associate at the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO), Johannesburg, giving me a global perspective on my topics of expertise.
Prof Dominik Weiss
In our group we study fundamental geochemical processes and general principles of trace metal cycling in the environment. We take a geochemical perspective on questions of environmental quality, environmental change and ecosystem system processes. We use tools of aqueous and isotope geochemistry to understand what controls trace metal cycles, and combine this with computational modelling to understand the nature, drivers and ecological/environmental consequences of trace metal cycling. Our ultimate goal is to understand the controls that underpins the chemistry of man made and natural systems across levels, and geochemical constrains for a sustainable development.