The Sea and Society

Amani Becker

I’m a coastal scientist with expertise in microphytobenthos and sediment biogeochemistry. My research interests are centred on coastal processes and resilience, with a focus on stakeholder engagement, capacity building and achieving impact from research. I am currently involved in projects in the UK, the Southwest Indian Ocean and the Caribbean.

https://noc.ac.uk/n/Amani+Becker 

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Coastal Resilience, The Sea and Society, Oceans and Climate
Affiliation: National Oceanography Centre 

Colin Bell

I am the software and technical manager for the products team at the National Oceanography Centre in Liverpool.  I have been a professional software designer and developer for nearly 30 years specialising in marine software for tidal level / current prediction and harmonic analysis - working with both coastal data (from tide gauges) and offshore data (from numerical model simulations).  I've been involved with a number of ports/harbours and offshore operators, and worked on specific projects for renewable energy, flood defence and particle tracking.

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Coastal Resilience, Oceans and Climate, Ports and Maritime, The Sea and Society
Afilliation: National Oceanography Centre

Jenny Brown

I have a keen interest in coastal flood and erosion hazard modelling and monitoring to support decisions surrounding coastal management. My expertise are in wave, surge and tidal modelling at the regional scale; storm impact modelling at the local scale; and technology development to validate model capability

Recent projects are investigating novel systems to monitor wave overtopping and nowcast hazard information, see https://youtu.be/a5Y33SWdNU4 and https://twitter.com/wirewall_noc

Themes: Coastal Resilience, The Sea and Society
Affiliation: National Oceanography Centre

Jill Burgess

I’m a Liverpool girl born and bred and even stayed in our wonderful city to study Geography at the University of Liverpool.  I’ve been at the National Oceanography Centre since 2004 working within the Marine Information Products and Services Team which is the commercial arm of the NOC. My aim within LISCO is to develop new collaborations, business partnerships and new opportunities with those interested in coastal processes, tidal predictions, and coastal management. Additionally I am particularly interested in continuing to develop good public engagement activities in order to raise public awareness of the research within LISCO.

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Coastal Resilience, Oceans and Climate, Ports and Maritime, The Living Ocean, Sea and Society
Affiliation: National Oceanography Centre

Kasey Clark

I am a lecturer in Environmental Change. I have broad research interests in physical geography, river biogeochemistry and land-ocean interactions. My work primarily involves tropical field-based research. I am interested in the role of terrestrial influences in coastal biogeochemistry and environmental degradation. In Panama I am 1) determining freshwater inputs and nutrient fluxes, which will be used as forcing variables in a physical hypoxia model for a Caribbean bay, 2) assessing mangrove dieback in the Bay of Panama due to a severe El Niño event in 2015/16, and 3) working in a team of scientists and stakeholders with the aim of declaring Matusagaratí a Ramsar wetland.

I am currently advertising an ACCE DTP project, applications due January 2023, on understanding the Influence of land-based nutrient pollution on coastal ecosystems in a Caribbean Bay. https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/understanding-the-influence-of-land-based-nutrient-pollution-on-coastal-ecosystems-in-a-caribbean-bay/?p148549 

Themes: Coastal Resilience, The Sea and Society, Oceans and Climate
Affiliation: University of Liverpool

Andy Davies

I am a historical and political geographer based in the Department of Geography and Planning. My research has focussed on politics in and around the Indian Ocean region, particularly in historical work which has examined how ships were important ways of spreading anticolonial information during the colonial era. I am a Co-Director of the Centre for Port and Maritime History, a collaboration between The University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University, and Merseyside Maritime Museum (https://centreforportandmaritimehistory.wordpress.com/).

Theme: The Sea and Society
Affiliation: University of Liverpool

Chloé Duteil

I am a PhD student in the Department of History at the University of Liverpool. My research interests are located at the intersection of coastal, environmental, and cultural history and my current work focuses on human interactions with the hybrid environments where sea and land meet. My doctoral thesis examines the ways in which seaweeds featured in the daily lives and identities of coastal dwellers in Brittany and Wales in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Themes: The Sea and Society
Affiliation: University of Liverpool

John Huthnance

I am an Emeritus Fellow of the National Oceanography Centre with interests in the dynamics of shelf and slope seas, ocean/shelf-sea dynamical interactions and exchanges.  Current roles include co-Executive Editor of the EGU open-access journal “Ocean Science” and membership of Defra Evidence Groups on “Healthy and BioDiverse Seas” (HBDSEG) and “Ocean Processes” (OPEG).  Work related to the latter has included lead authorship of marine physics aspects of “Charting Progress 2; the State of UK Seas” (2010) and “North Sea Climate Change Assessment” (2016). 

Themes: Oceans and Climate, Sea and Society
Affiliation: National Oceanography Centre

Çağatay Iris

Çağatay Iris is a Lecturer (equivalent, Assistant Professor) in Operations and Supply Chain Management at the University of Liverpool Management School. Çağatay has research interests in transport and logistics (including freight transport, next-generation ports, shipping, hinterlands, urban logistics, crowdshipping), shared economy and energy management. Recently, he has projects related to energy efficiency in seaports, port microgrids, economic investment analysis in maritime energy projects and fuels. He mostly uses mathematical modelling and data analytics methods to help decision marking in logistics investments, improve the performance of logistics systems, and reach net-zero targets. 

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Oceans and Climate, Ports and Maritime, The Living Ocean, Sea and Society
Affiliation: University of Liverpool Management School

 

Stephen Jay

I specialise in marine spatial planning (MSP), and am interested in its international implementation. I have led European-funded projects on transboundary aspects of MSP and am a co-founder of the MSP Research Network. I am interested in interchange between planning theory and MSP practice, particularly perspectives that accommodate the dynamic character of the sea and human interaction with it. I also specialise in seascape character assessment. I am a chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

Themes: Sea and Society
Affiliation: University of Liverpool

Svetlana Jevrejeva

Svetlana is an internationally acknowledged sea level expert, a Lead Author of Chapter 13 (Sea Level Change), Working group 1, Fifth Assessment report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (AR5 IPCC), 2010-2013.  Svetlana specialises in the synthesis of observations and models to develop our understanding of physical mechanisms for global and regional sea level rise and variability, their impact in coastal areas, changes in tropical cyclones in warming climate and extreme sea levels. Dr Jevrejeva engages with stakeholders, policy makers and the international scientific community to translate advances in sea level science into impact and bring societal benefit. She spent two years (sabbatical) in Singapore, leading the National Sea Level Programme of Singapore and providing scientific advice to the Singapore government about adaptation to sea level rise.

Themes: Coastal Resilience, Oceans and Climate, Sea and Society
Affiliation: National Oceanography Centre

David Jones

I am the Head of Mechanical Engineering at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) Liverpool, where I have worked since 1990. My role is to design and oversee the manufacture of bespoke equipment used in all NOC projects. I design build, and deploy equipment for tide gauge systems in the UK and overseas, deep ocean landers, instrument platforms, instrument deployment and recovery systems. I also manage the mechanical workshop; which is equipped with CNC machinery enabling us to produce precision parts and prototypes. We also have an area for the assembly and testing of equipment prior to deployment.  

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Coastal Resilience, Oceans and Climate, Ports and Maritime, The Living Ocean, Sea and Society
Affiliation: National Oceanography Centre

Hannah Jones

I am a PhD researcher at the Liverpool Institute for Sustainable Coasts and Oceans (LISCO). My work primarily focuses on the ‘Sea and society’ research theme in particular how understanding and enhancing human relationships with the sea is crucial in order to achieve sustainable coasts and oceans. My PhD Is entitled "Well-being at the coast: maximising the socio-cultural benefits of England’s seascapes" and will examine the incorporation of the Natural Capital approach into the Seascape Character Assessment process with a view to enhance benefit to well-being. Prior to starting my PhD I have worked on numerous European funded projects including the SIMAtlantic project, leading a work package on Land-Sea Interactions and Celtic Seas Partnership project where I was involved in the development of Natures Services and the Sea: A resource pack for marine and coastal stakeholders. I have also worked as part of the European MSP Platform, the 'MSP Assistance Mechanism' implemented by EASME on behalf of DG MARE. In addition to my work for the EU MSP Platform, the Erasmus + Strategic Partnership for Marine Spatial Planning, and the Horizon 2020 project AQUACROSS which aims to support EU efforts to protect aquatic biodiversity and ensure the provision of aquatic ecosystem services. I am also an active member of the Irish Sea Maritime Forum and have been a Steering Committee member for the past 5 years. 

Themes: Sea and Society
Affiliation: University of Liverpool

Kostas Kiriakoulakis

I am a Reader in Marine Sciences and the Subject Leader of Geography and Environmental Sciences in Liverpool John Moores University. I am a biogeochemist with expertise in investigations of organic matter sources, quality and fate in the ocean and aquatic systems. Recently I started work on microplastics in these settings. The aims of my work are to understand the functioning of vulnerable marine ecosystems (e.g. cold water corals) in terms of energy supply and carbon cycling, assess anthropogenic impacts in oceans and coasts and constrain Carbon sequestration in marine and coastal environments (blue carbon). 

Themes: Oceans and Climate, Sea and Society
Affiliation: Liverpool John Moores 

Neil Macdonald

Neil is Professor of Geography, his work explores how communities and societies have historically and continue to respond to extreme events (e.g. floods, storms and droughts), understanding how the have responded and adapted. He is interdisciplinary, using a range of approaches to undertake such work, including sedimentary, archival, oral and textual sources, spanning timescales (centuries to days). He has worked across the UK and Europe, Asia and Africa, with a wide range of partners.  

Themes: Coastal Resilience, Sea and Society
Affiliation: University of Liverpool

Fabienne Marret-Davies

I am a micropalaeontologist working with phytoplankton microfossils (dinoflagellate cysts) as tracers of oceanic conditions for the Quaternary period, in particular sea-surface conditions that can be used to create and/or calibrate climatic models. I am particularly interested in past warm periods to understand mechanisms and processes that could be applied for future climate change, as well as looking at potential biological hazards such as harmful algal blooms. Dinoflagellates can produce lethal toxins that affect marine ecosystems, in particular fisheries, and some species can be preserved as seed banks in sediments; such phenomena are therefore critical to be studied for resource management.

Themes: The Living Ocean, Sea and Society
Affiliation: University of Liverpool

Sarah Peverley

I am a cultural historian and Professor of English Literature at the University of Liverpool. One of my current research projects focuses on the global use of mermaids in literature, art and culture across time, from their first appearance in ancient Mesopotamia to the present day. I look at the various ways in which humans have responded to merfolk and their watery element to navigate topics such as religion, gender, war, identity (personal, communal, and geographical), and the environment. As a BBC New Generation Thinker and Broadcaster, my expertise on mermaids as enduring cultural icons has contributed to a range of programmes and debates on radio and television and in other media (print and online). Part of my project involves mapping mermaid iconography in the British Isles and Ireland to better understand the historic importance of the maritime environment and its imagery in the medieval and early modern period. I am a member of the Liverpool Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Vice-President of the Medieval Chronicle Society, and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. 

For links to my media work see https://sarahpeverley.com/media/ 

Themes: Sea and Society
Affiliation: University of Liverpool

Emma Roberts

I am Reader in History of Art and Design at Liverpool John Moores University. I gained a Ph.D. in History of Art in 1997 from the University of Liverpool, and have worked at Liverpool John Moores University since 1996. My research interests focus largely around the interior design of ocean liners (in particular, inter-war Cunard vessels), and how art and design reflects the theme of the sea. Indeed, I am editor of Art and the Sea (2022, Liverpool University Press) and am a member of the Centre for Port and Maritime History, which is a collaboration between the University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University, and Merseyside Maritime Museum.  In my spare time I work as an Enrichment Lecturer speaking on board cultural cruise ships and presenting on the history of art and design. This involves working with companies such as Cunard, Viking, Celebrity, Azamara and the residential ship, The World. I am fascinated by how ships can provide passengers with a liminal experience, and how this may be enhanced by the seductive effects of art and design. 

Themes: The Sea and Society
Affiliation: Liverpool John Moores University

Sam Solnick

My research focuses on questions of environment and ecology in literature, film, theatre, and visual art. Current projects and interests relevant to LISCO include include: the aesthetics of climate change; ‘energy humanities’ (particularly ‘petro-culture’); the history of sugar and the Liverpool Docks; cultural representations of apocalypse, pollution and environmental disaster; literature and/about the sea. I have an extensive outreach and impact track record working with schools, the NHS and various Merseyside arts institutions and I have published widely about literature, science and environment for both academic and public-facing outlets including The Independent, Art Agenda, The Times Literary Supplement, RA Magazine, Newsweek and the BBC. 

Themes: Oceans and Climate, Ports and Maritime, Sea and Society
Affiliation: University of Liverpool

Kennedy Edeye Osuka

With a background in fisheries management and marine conservation, my expertise spans various facets of environmental management. I have spearheaded fish conservation and research initiatives, harmonising data collection methods across Western Indian Ocean nations. My contributions have informed fisheries policies in East African countries, showcasing a commitment to both research and policy development. My interests lie in human-ocean interactions, emphasising fisheries management, conservation efforts, and species protection. Exploring marine ecosystems, from shallow to deep reefs and pelagic environments, fascinates me, especially understanding the dynamic roles of piscivores and herbivores in ecosystem resilience. Additionally, I engage in influencing national and regional legislation, conducting research to overcome policy barriers.

Themes: Coastal Resilience, The Bio-Economy, The Sea and Society
Affiliation: University of Liverpool 

Marta Payo Payo

I am a research scientist working at coast, at the interface between land, ocean and people.
My research focuses on coastal hazards and on transport processes, and I use numerical models to understand hydrodynamics and transport processes in coastal environments under anthropogenic impacts including climate change. Lately I'm more interested on how natural habitats can help make our coastal systems more resilient to climate change and human activities. I enjoy science communication and together with other scientists have established collaborations with artists and social scientists trying to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and general knowledge.

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Coastal Resillience, Oceans and Climate, The Sea and Society
Affiliation: National Oceanography Centre 

Iain Young

Iain promotes cross-disciplinary approaches addressing sustainability and food security challenges while delivering impactful R&D with industry partners. His projects address issues such as improving the sustainability of nutrition for aquaculture and agriculture, novel sensor development for water quality, smart approaches for control and monitoring and food chain optimisation.

Research and Knowledge Exchange highlights: Black Soldier Fly larvae as a Bioconverter of food waste into fish feed, development of novel water treatment systems, detection methods for flavour tainting compounds and pathogens in water, the use of fish waste in renewable energy production, hydrogen powered aquaponics systems and outreach projects engaging local schools in urban farming.

Themes: Blue Green Energy, Coastal Resilience, Oceans and Climate, The Sea and Society
Affiliation: University of Liverpool