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I’m an early career researcher and academic at the intersection between physical oceanography and renewable energy. My research interests centre around marine renewables and the use of regional-scale hydrodynamic modelling to support human activities, understand their effects, and improve planning and policymaking. Much of my work so far has been on the use of hydrodynamic models to predict both the tidal power available from a given location, and the effects of removing that energy from the flow.

In a broader sense, I care about — without necessarily being expert on — most aspects of energy and energy transition. The physics is great, and important, but it won’t solve our problems in isolation, and the solutions need to consider the environment and society. My teaching reflects this generalist viewpoint.

My CV includes work with Heriot-Watt’s Orkney campus, the University of Edinburgh, Marine Scotland Science, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the University of Hull. Most recently I have returned to Heriot-Watt, where I now lead the MSc in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Transition. Opinions expressed on this site are my own, and do not represent any of these organisations.

I spend much of my working life writing software. Like many scientists, I do it badly. I’m an instructor for the Software Carpentry organisation, which teaches basic software development skills to academics to improve the efficiency and reproducibility of computational research. I’m a Fellow of the Software Sustainability Institute, whose goals are similar.