Research Programmes
Research areas in Environmental Science
The Environmental Science Team undertakes research in the followig thematic areas:
Air Pollution and its Impacts on Health and the Environment
Aquatic Pollution and its Impacts on Health and the Environment
Impact of radionuclide Releases on Biota
Social, Policy and Political Sciences
Air Pollution and its Impacts on Health and the Environment
Recent Project Thematic Areas
- Research reviews on model integration methodologies, source apportionment, deposition and complex terrain modelling
Clients: Environment Agency, UK-ADMLC
- Research into the emissions of ammonia from agricultural sources
Clients: Defra (Link); Teagasc (Irish Department of Agriculture)
- Research into the potential health effects of exposure to air pollutants
Clients: Rio Tinto Plc; British Nuclear Group; Welsh Assembly Government
- Numerical and Physical Modelling of Complex Flows
Clients: British Nuclear Group; Defra
- Measurement of trace radioactive Nobel gases and characterisation of airborne particles.
Clients: British Nuclear Group; UK-AEA; Welsh Assembly Government
Aquatic Pollution and its Impacts on Health and the Environment
Recent Project Thematic Areas
- Development of water quality models for the Scarborough Coastline
Clients: Environment Agency
- Modelling the environmental impact of biocide discharges associated with pipeline cleaning operations.
Clients: Sellafield Ltd
- Development of the marine dispersion model MARISA for the Irish Sea
Clients: Sellafield Ltd
Impact of Radionuclide Releases on Biota
Project Thematic Areas
- Development of a dose to biota assessment methodology (EA R&D 128)
Clients: Environment Agency; English Nature
- Methodology for calculating doses to Reference Animals and Plants (as defined by the ICRP) from naturally occurring radionuclides
Clients: Environment Agency; International Committee on Radiological Protection
- Screening/detailed assessments of radiological impacts of aerial, liquid and releases to groundwater upon wildlife
Clients: British Nuclear Group; Atomic Weapons Establishment; BIL Solutions, GE Healthcare
- Laboratory uptake experiments for the production of biokinetic modelling parameters
Client: British Nuclear Group
- Design, calibration and validation of a dynamic biokinetic model for the interaction of (a) technetium with the European lobster Homarus gammarus and (b) radioiodine in winkles
(a) MSc project (in conjunction with the University of Plymouth); (b) British Nuclear Group
- Development of a dynamic (non-equilibrium) assessment tool for estimating doses to marine organisms
Client: Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
- Participation in collaborative international research on the development of ecosystem assessment methodologies
EC 5th and 6th Framework Programmes FASSET and ERICA; IAEA EMRAS & PROTECT Programmes, ICRP Task Group 69
Social, Policy and Political Sciences
Governance and policy, including the structures process of governing; formal policy and 'new' structures embracing publics, pressure groups, the media and stakeholders. This work is applied especially to environmental, community and nuclear issues. The specific areas in this theme include:
- Policy networks and partnerships
- Stakeholder relations
- Governance processes, models and structures
- Models of policy makingNuclear industry policy
Environmental policy
Public opinion and consultation. This work includes both quantitative mass polling and qualitative consultation. The specific areas in this theme include:
Public opinion concepts and models
- Attitudes, beliefs and values
- Thematic developments in society (like globalisation, anxiety,individualisation, affluence etc)
- Value themes and structures
- Perceived risk
- Public engagement with science
- The sociology of scientific knowledge
Communities and sustainability. This work focuses upon the sustainability agenda and its implications for policy, governance opinion. It is applied at four levels; global processes and issues, national policy and politics, communities and their sustainability and individual attitudes and behaviour. The specific areas in this theme include:
- Social capital
- Communities and definitions
- Behaviours and attitudes
- Sustainability policy - local, national and international
- Place and place identity theory and practice
- Local policy partnershipsClimate change
- Risk society