Tom has over 30 years of experience, a Professorship of Earth System Science at Heriot-Watt University (HWU) Edinburgh, Leader of the Biogeochemistry Group and Director International Development and Director of Research at the Lyell Centre.

As a trained geologist and organic biogeochemist, his core scientific expertise lies in assessing the role and functioning of Carbon and nutrients as primary drivers of Ecosystems, Climate Change and Energy Resources. With a focus on Earth surface processes connecting the atmosphere, land sources with ocean sinks, and the sedimentary record his research takes a holistic Earth Systems approach that crosses boundaries between terrestrial, marine, palaeo and applied sciences. The aim of his research is to trace, understand and predict the source, fate, interactions and burial of organic carbon and nutrients as they travel through the environment at different modes of climate and human perturbation, and explore the interactions with and impacts on the (Micro)Biosphere, the Geosphere (soils, rocks, minerals), the Hydrosphere (surface-subsurface) and Society.

The nature of his research is inherently multi-disciplinary, combining geology, palaeo-climatology/palaeo-oceanography, geochemistry (organic, inorganic, isotopic), sedimentology, hydrology, aspects of microbiology, biogeochemical and global climate modeling, and ecosystem sciences. This approach enables to improve understanding of modern processes at critical Earth surface interfaces, including soil-river transitions in tropical rainforests, river–shelf-deep sea fan transitions (e.g. Congo, Amazon, Yangtze), anoxic/euxinic redox systems (e.g. Namibian shelf), and the dynamics of organic matter transport and focusing in deep ocean sediments (e.g. North Atlantic drift deposits). This focus on the sources, fate, and interactions of organic carbon, as it moves through the modern environment, is stored in the sediments, and utilized by biological and abiological prosesses, directly underpins Ecosystem Research and the reconstruction of past climate-ocean systems, including Late Quaternary glacial-interglacial cycles and Paleogene-Mesozoic Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAEs) and Hyperthermals, and ultimately hydrocarbon source rock formation.

His background is in research and training/teaching in Kiel (GEOMAR), Bremen University, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (Royal NIOZ), Newcastle University and, since 2016, at The Lyell Centre at Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh.

Biogeochemical Cycles and Climate; Integrated Ecosystem Science; Biogeochemistry of modern shelf-deep sea systems and past anoxic greenhouse oceans; Land-Ocean Coupling; Sustainability Sciences

As a researcher with duties in teaching and administration he has extensive experience in the planning, development and delivery of high-quality, research-led education, including geological field traning. My education and professional qualifications include supervision of students at PhD (38, 7 current), MSc (59), and Diploma/Bachelor (14) level.

My portfolio in research-led teaching has been developing a curriculum in Earth System Sciences with special emphasis on the UN Global Sustainability Goals, Organic Geochemistry, Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Energy and Climate, Paleoclimatology/ Paleoceanography, and Field Geology, including analytical techniques at bulk and molecular level. I am closely engagement with MSc and doctoral students as lecturer, supervisor and as Director of Research. 

Professional Occupation

02.2019 - present

Lyell Director International Development and Lyell Director Research, HWU, Edinburgh, UK

10.2016-1.2019

Lyell Centre Co-Director, Heriot-Watt University (HWU), Edinburgh, UK

01.2016 - present

Professor in Earth System Sciences, The Lyell Centre, School of Energy, Geosciences, Infrastructure and Society (EGIS), Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK

2016-2018

Strategic Research Adviser, School of Civil Engineering & Geosciences (CEG), Newcastle University, UK

2005-2015

School of Civil Engineering & Geosciences, Newcastle University, UK

2002-2005

Heisenberg-Fellow (German Science Foundation)

2002-2003

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (invited Research Fellow)

2002-2004

Royal Netherland Institute for Sea Research (invited Research Fellow)

2000-2002

Research Associate, Bremen University, Germany

1994-2000

Assistant Professor (Wissenschaftlicher Assistent), Bremen University, Germany

1993-1994

Postdoc in Paleoceanography, University of Kiel (GEOMAR), Germany

Education

1989-1993

PhD in Paleoceanography, University of Kiel (GEOMAR), Germany

1984-1989

Curriculum in Geology, University of Heidelberg, Germany

1982-1984

Curriculum in Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, Germany