My main academic interests are:

- Science and innovation strategy

- Encouraging future generations of scientists.

- Conveying science to non-specialist audiences.

- Arctic, Antarctic & Baltic sea ice ecology & biogeochemistry.

- The role of dissolved organic matter, inorganic nutrients and bacteria in: ice, aquatic systems & land-ocean transitions.

- Inorganic nutrients & phytoplankton primary production.

- Industrial microalgal biomass production & utilisation.

- Seaweed & halophyte ecology & physiology.

- Connections between science & art.

In November 2020 I joined the University of Helsinki as Professor of Arctic Ecosystems Research

Previous key academic appointments:

Starting in 1981, I spent 6.5 years at Liverpool University where I did my undergraduate and PhD studies.

I then moved to northern Germany for 7.5 years to conduct research at various institutions (University of Bremen, AWI, Bremerhaven, University of Oldenburg & ZMT, Bremen).

I returned to the UK in July 1996 to join the School of Ocean Sciences at Bangor University where I became the Professor of Marine Biology (2006 to 2020), Head of School (2016 to 2019) and the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research for Bangor University (2019 to 2020).

December 2013 to March 2019 I was the first Director of the Sêr Cymru National Research Network for Low Carbon Energy and the Environment (www.nrn-lcee.ac.uk).

Jan 2009 to Dec 2013 I was an Academy of Finland FidiPro Distinguished Professor at the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), where I continued as a Visiting Research Professor from Jan 2014 to Dec 2019.

Jan to Oct 2013 I was Professor of Arctic Marine Biology at Aarhus University