People

I am an ocean and climate modeller with more than 25 years of research expertise in the impact of climate change on ocean dynamics, ecosystems and society. I lead the ocean BGC and impacts modelling team and Socio-Oceanography topic at the NOC and have published over 90 peer-reviewed papers.

During the past ten years, I have been working with challenges of the Global South as a PI of Belmont, ESPA, NERC and GCRF - funded projects (GULLS, GLORIA, SOLSTICE), focusing on the African regions highly dependent on the ocean for economic stability, food security, and social cohesion. One of the most significant projects I have delivered is an £8M GCRF-funded SOLSTICE which has brought together recent advances in marine technologies, local knowledge, and research expertise to address challenges facing the Western Indian Ocean region. Prior to that, my research was focused on the challenges of the Artic Region and its response to climate change.

I have a wealth of experience working at the interface of science and policy: from fisheries and blue economies of developing nations to the UNCLOS BBNJ negotiations. I am a lead educator of the NOC’s MOOC “Ocean Science in Action: Addressing Marine Ecosystems and Food Security” which is a major contribution of NOC to the capacity development of African researchers, managers and policy makers.

I lead the Socio-Oceanography theme at NOC, an emerging area of research which takes a ‘whole system’ approach to the marine environment by explicitly factoring in human society. It focuses on the challenges which require advancement of both natural and social science components, especially on those where the feedback between these components are beginning to emerge.