SAMS Researchers

Mug shot of physical oceanographer and modeller Dr Dima Aleynik

Dr Dmitry Aleynik

Principal Investigator in Physical Oceanography
Expertise

Numerical hydrodynamic modelling of tidal mixing and turbulence in coastal waters and the deep sea
Head and shoulder shot of a smiling Phil Anderson in front of an aeroplane

Dr Phil Anderson

Senior Lecturer in Air-Sea Interaction
Expertise

Geophysical fluid dynamics; robotics; remotely piloted aircraft systems

Dr Steven Benjamins

Marine Mammal Ecologist
Expertise

Marine megafauna; environmental status assessments for public policy; conservation biology; monitoring methods
Head and shoulder photo of Dr Suzi Billing on the beach outside SAMS

Dr Suzannah-Lynn Billing

Principal Investigator in Marine Social Science
Expertise

Rural development, social licence to operate, community agents for change and social entrepreneur.
Dr. Kristin Burmeister

Dr. Kristin Burmeister

PDRA in physical oceanography
Expertise

Physical variability of the Atlantic Ocean and its relevance for ecosystems
Head and shoulder photo of Niall Burnside

Dr Niall Burnside

Senior Lecturer in Biogeography and Geoinformatics
Expertise

Geoinformatics; GIS; Remote Sensing; UAVs; Coastal Ecology; Coastal Restoration; Biodiversity gain
Professor Burrows with the coastal ocean in the background

Professor Michael T. Burrows

Marine Ecologist
Expertise

Coastal ecology; shifting pattern in biodiversity; ecosystem modelling
Dr Laura Castro de la Guardia wearing a red wooly hat in a snowy environment

Dr Laura Castro de la Guardia

Physical & Biological Oceanographer
Expertise

Climate change, Arctic, marine biology, oceanography, bio-physical interactions, biogeochemical modelling
Head shot of smiling Dr Alison Cook.

Dr Alison Cook

Polar Geospatial Data Analyst
Expertise

Geospatial data analysis of Polar cryospheric change, including sea ice and shipping, and glaciers at the ice-ocean interface
Head shot of Prof Liz Cottier Cook on fieldwork in a marina

Professor Elizabeth Cottier-Cook

Marine Biologist
Expertise

Marine invasive species; biofouling; seaweed aquaculture / policy
Dr Mairi Cowan holding an oyster shell

Dr Mairi Cowan

Principal Investigator in Shellfish Endocrinology
Expertise

Reproductive neuroendocrinology in fish and shellfish
Head and shoulder photo of a smiling Andy Dale

Dr Andrew Dale

Numerical Modeller
Expertise

Observational physical oceanography; numerical modelling
Dr Matthew Davey

Dr Matthew Davey

Associate Professor of Physiological Ecology
Expertise

Algal biotechnology, metabolic ecology, environmental metabolomics, cryophilic algae, Antarctic terrestrial biology, algal bioremediation, remote sensing for biodiversity, sustainable bioeconomy 
Photo of Professor Davidson delivering a talk during graduation in 2016

Professor Keith Davidson

Associate Director for Science and Education
Expertise

Marine microbial ecology; harmful algal blooms
Dr Sam Tiéfolo Diabaté on a research vessel, head and shoulder shot.

Dr Sam Tiéfolo Diabaté

Researcher in physical oceanography
Expertise

Ocean dynamics, Boundary circulation, Coastal sea level, AMOC, Rockall Slope Current, European Slope Current, Western boundary currents, Coastally trapped waves
Dr Arlene Ditchfield in the laboratory injecting a sample into a gas chromatograph

Dr Arlene Ditchfield

Microbial Biogeochemist
Expertise

gas biogeochemistry; microbial methane production; microbial C, N and S cycling

Dr Alan Fox

Physical Oceanographer
Expertise

Hydrodynamic modelling, deep-water ocean circulation, connectivity studies
Head-shot showing SAMS fisheries ecologist Dr Clive Fox

Dr Clive J Fox

Senior Lecturer Fisheries Ecology
Expertise

Fisheries; aquaculture; fish and shellfish biology; plankton; 
Head and shoulder shot of physical oceanographer Neil Fraser outside with research vessel behind

Dr Neil Fraser

Physical Oceanographer
Expertise

Transport in the North Atlantic and shelf sea processes

Dr Geslaine Rafaela Lemos Gonçalves

PDRA Micro- & Macroplastics
Expertise

Marine biology; macro & microplastics; mangroves; marine ecology - food habits; distribution, morphology, reproduction and development; symbiotic relationships; trophic web; fatty acids

Dr Jennifer A Graham

Physical Oceanographer
Expertise

Physical oceanography, modelling
Dr David Green in front of a display of cultured algae

Dr David Green

Molecular Microbiologist
Expertise

Algal-bacterial interactions and algal microbiome; marine bacterial polysaccharides and enzymes; marine microbial ecology

Dr John Halpin

Marine image analyst and modeller
Expertise

Marine image analysis; deep learning; photogrammetry; data science
Dr Laura Hobbs outside on the SAMS back beach.

Dr Laura Hobbs

Lecturer in Arctic Marine Science
Expertise

Arctic marine ecology; environmental drivers of behaviour
Geologist Prof John Howe lecturing

Professor John Howe

Marine Geologist
Expertise

Marine geomorphology; multibeam mapping; Quaternary climate change; polar geology
Adam Hughes on a marine farm with rope-grown mussels in the background

Professor Adam Hughes

Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Aquaculture
Expertise

Sustainable aquaculture and the blue economy
Head and shoulder photo of Professor Inall inside SAMS

Professor Mark E Inall

Marine Physicist; SAGES Director
Expertise

Tides, turbulence and mixing
Dr Clare Johnson during an outreach event

Dr Clare Johnson

Senior Observational Physical Oceanographer
Expertise

Water masses and circulation of the subtropical North Atlantic
Head and shoulder photo of a smiling Dr Sam Jones during a demonstration of his mixing tank

Dr Sam Jones

Physical Oceanographer
Expertise

Physical oceanography, data visualisation
Puja Kumari wearing a white jumper in front of a colourful background

Dr Puja Kumari

Lecturer in Macroalgal Research
Expertise

Algal stress physiology; chemical ecology; algal life cycles; algal omics; algal host pathogen interaction; algal bioprospecting; circular bioeconomy; developing value-added products.
Head and shoulder photo of a windswept Dr Kim Last on a Scottish beach

Dr Kim Last

Marine Biologist
Expertise

Arctic ecology; behaviour of marine animals; biological clocks; human impacts
Head and shoulder photo of Dr Joe Marlow

Dr Joe Marlow

Marine Growth Postdoctoral Researcher
Expertise

Marine growth; photogrammetry; artificial reefs
Photo of Dr Kati Michalek SAMS

Dr Kati Michalek

Postdoctoral researcher in seaweed cultivation
Expertise

Mariculture of seaweeds and shellfish; aquaculture site monitoring and management
Head and shoulder photo of deep-sea ecologist Dr Bhavani Narayanaswamy near an Arctic glacier

Professor Bhavani Narayanaswamy

Deep-sea ecologist & microplastic researcher
Expertise

Deep-sea ecology; benthic ecosystems; mangroves; mega- to micro-plastic pollution in the coastal to deep-sea environment
Dr Helena Reinardy holding sea urchin on her hand in the Arctic

Dr Helena Reinardy

PI and Teaching Fellow/Researcher in Aquaculture
Expertise

Ecotoxicoloy; genotoxicology; marine biology; molecular biology

Dr Denise Risch

Marine Mammal Ecologist
Expertise

Underwater acoustics; ecoacoustics; marine mammal ecology
Dr Georgi Robinson at SAMS is mostly working from and in Mauritius on aquaculture projects

Dr Georgina Robinson

UKRI Future Leaders Fellow
Expertise

Sustainable aquaculture; blue economy; small island developing states; bioremediation

Dr Alasdair O'Dell

Marine Ecologist PDRA
Expertise

Scotland's blue carbon: the contribution from seaweed detritus
Head and shoulder photo of Mikey Ross in a white lab coat with a flask full of algae

Dr Michael Ross

CCAP Manager & Lecturer in Algal Biotechnology
Expertise

Algal biotechnology; algal bioremediation; wastewater treatment; culture collections; microbial taxonomy and ecology
Dr Bernadette Snow standing outdoors, head and shoulder shot.

Dr Bernadette Snow

Senior Lecturer Marine Social Science
Expertise

Ocean governance; marine & coastal social-ecological systems; integrated ocean management; ecosystem services; marine spatial planning; climate change
Dr Charlotte Spring on the SAMS beach

Dr Charlotte Spring (Charlie)

Senior Postdoctoral Research Associate
Expertise

Co-producing biosecurity and seaweed sovereignty; ethnography; food systems eg food banks, lake fisheries etc
Professor Michele Stanley selecting strains from the Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa

Professor Michele Stanley

Professor in Marine Biotechnology
Expertise

Phycology; marine biotechnology; biofilms; biofuels

Professor Andrew K Sweetman

Professor and chair of Seafloor Ecology and Biogeochemistry
Expertise

Seafloor ecology, biogeochemistry, deep-sea, mangroves, fjords, biodiversity and ecosystem function, anthropogenic impacts, deep-sea mining, climate change.
Head shot of smiling Dr Tim Szewczyk during a hill walking trip

Dr Tim Szewczyk

Ecological Modeller
Expertise

Biogeography; population dynamics; hierarchical Bayesian modelling
Head and shoulder photo of Professor Paul Tett in the office

Professor Paul Tett

Reader in Coastal Ecosystems
Expertise

Sustainability of coastal social-ecological systems; phytoplankton ecology
Head and shoulder photo of Dr Alex Thomson

Dr Alex Innes Thomson

Molecular phycologist
Expertise

Molecular phycology; snow algae physiology; dDNA biomonitoring; population genomics of macroalgae
Head and shoulder photo of SAMS biogeochemist Robyn Tuerena during an oceanographic expedition

Dr Robyn Tuerena

Senior Lecturer in Marine Biogeochemistry
Expertise

Open ocean nutrient cycling; Nitrogen and carbon cycles: sources, sinks and feedbacks; Phytoplankton and marine food webs; Stable isotope geochemistry
Dr van Geel with a sound device out at sea

Dr Nienke van Geel

Marine Mammal Ecologist
Expertise

Marine megafauna monitoring techniques; cetacean acoustics; autonomous environmental monitoring for oil & gas decommissioning
Profile picture - Dr Reina Veenhof wearing a blue jumper

Dr Reina Veenhof

Senior PDRA Seaweed Biotechnology
Expertise

Seaweed life cycles, aquaculture, ecological modelling
Head and shoulder photograph of Francisca Vermeulen

Dr Francisca Vermeulen

Algal Biotechnology PDRA
Expertise

Harmful algal blooms; commercial cultivation of microalgae for nutraceuticals; science outreach
Callum Whyte on a research vessel with hard hat

Dr Callum Whyte

Phytoplankton Ecologist
Expertise

Phytoplankton ecology; harmful algal blooms
Image of Dr Tom Wilding on fieldwork

Dr Thomas Wilding

Benthic Ecologist
Expertise

Marine environmental assessment; statistical modelling; eDNA; novel monitoring approaches
A head and shoulder photo of Dr Maria Wilke outside in nature

Dr Maria Wilke

Marine Social Science Postdoctoral Research Associate
Expertise

Public participation, social license to operate, community engagement, blue justice, marine spatial planning, ocean literacy, bioregioning
A smiling Ben Wilson - head and shoulder photo taken inside SAMS

Professor Ben Wilson

Associate Director for Science and Research
Expertise

Animal-industrial interactions; underwater sound; marine mammal ecology; marine renewable energy

Dr Adam Wyness

eDNA Based Environmental Impact Monitoring PDRA
Expertise

eDNA; bioinformatics; biotechnology; microbial communities; microbiology