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Research group

Nature-Based Ocean Solutions

A person with a fishing line standing in the sea with lots of sea kelp

We aim to address societal, economic, environmental and engineering challenges through effective nature-based ocean solutions.

About

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems to address societal, economic and environmental challenges. Increasingly, NbS feature in adaptation policies and national and international pledges on climate action, sustainable development, biodiversity management, environmental protection and coastal resilience.

Our network links a diverse community of researchers and experts with ocean or blue economy stakeholders: communities; policymakers; the public sector; regulators; non-governmental organisations; engineering consultancies; energy developers.

As a collective, we aim to improve understanding and generate the evidence base for nature-based solutions. NbS's are important in adaptation and mitigation policies that address climate emergencies and loss of biodiversity.

We want to inform adaptive nature-based solutions for ecosystem restoration and management. The aim is to alleviate coastal and marine hazards such as coastal flooding and erosion, habitat degradation and biodiversity loss and changing ocean biochemistry. This will provide healthy ecosystems for climate mitigation, carbon and nutrient management and sustainable food provision.

We want to inform engineering and management practices to enhance community resilience and embed nature-inclusivity in engineering technologies for scalable energy harvesting and renewable energy generation. This will inform the next generation of engineering designs, to be environmentally friendly and have minimal impact on marine and ocean environments. 

To find out more about the Nature-based Ocean Solutions Special Interest Group and what we do, get in touch with group champion Hachem Kassem.

Join the SMMI Community to sign up to this group and our other special interest groups.

People, projects and publications

People

Dr Luke Myers PhD

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • Tidal turbines
  • Micro -renewables
  • Experimental testing and field work

Accepting applications from PhD students

Email: l.e.myers@soton.ac.uk

Address: Boldrewood Campus, Burgess Road, SO16 7QF

Professor Martin Solan

Professor of Marine Ecology

Research interests

  • Biodiversity ecosystem function bioturbation benthic ecology

Accepting applications from PhD students

Email: m.solan@soton.ac.uk

Address: National Oceanography Centre, Waterfront Campus European Way, SO14 3ZH

Dr Matt Kerr

Lecturer

Research interests

  • Nineteenth-century literature and culture; 
  •  Oceanic humanities; 
  •  Waste and rubbish; 

Accepting applications from PhD students

Email: m.p.kerr@soton.ac.uk

Address: B65, Avenue Campus, Highfield Road, SO17 1BF

Emeritus Professor Neil Wells

Email: n.c.wells@soton.ac.uk

Address: National Oceanography Centre, Waterfront Campus European Way, SO14 3ZH

Mr Panos Manias

SMMI-CMMI Marine and Maritime SRA

Research interests

  • marine decarbonisation
  • utilisation of alternative fuels 
  • powertrain design and subsequent emission modelling

Professor Paul Kemp

Professor of Ecological Engineering

Email: p.kemp@soton.ac.uk

Address: Boldrewood Campus, Burgess Road, SO16 7QF

Dr Rodrigo Ortiz Vazquez

Research Fellow

Accepting applications from PhD students

Email: rodrigo.ortiz-vazquez@soton.ac.uk

Address: B65a, Avenue Campus, Highfield Road, SO17 1BF

Dr Ryan Reisinger PhD, FHEA, MRSSAf

Lecturer

Accepting applications from PhD students

Email: r.r.reisinger@southampton.ac.uk

Address: National Oceanography Centre, Waterfront Campus European Way, SO14 3ZH

Dr Sam Thompson

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • Chemical Biology
  • Organic Synthesis
  • Medicinal Chemistry

Accepting applications from PhD students

Email: sam.thompson@southampton.ac.uk

Address: B30, East Highfield Campus, University Road, SO17 1BJ

Professor Steve Darby

Associate Dean Research

Research interests

  • River and coastal flooding - relationships between geomorphology and flooding in rivers and deltas
  • Biogeomorphology - interactions between river processes and life
  • River bank erosion processes

Accepting applications from PhD students

Email: s.e.darby@soton.ac.uk

Address: B44, West Highfield Campus, University Road, SO17 1BJ

Related research institutes, centres and groups

Related research institutes, centres and groups

Connect with us

Enquiries

If you're interested in joining us or collaborating, get in touch with the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute.