Leadership Team
Professor James Scourse
Head of Department
James Scourse’s research focuses on long-term marine climate and ecosystem change. He has lead groups at Bangor University (1985-2012) and the University of Exeter (since 2017) researching mechanisms and feedback responses in the Earth’s climate system, in particular linked to ice-ocean interaction and the impact of changes of sea level on the carbon cycle, sediment transport and ocean circulation. He is currently leading the European Research Council 6-year Synergy SEACHANGE Project which is establishing the impact of major human cultural transitions in marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. He is currently Head of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Exeter.
Professor Stephen Hesselbo
Deputy Head of Department
Stephen Hesselbo has been Professor of Geology at Camborne School of Mines since 2013. Previously he was Professor of Stratigraphy at the University of Oxford. Within the University of Exeter he has served as Director of Research in 2014–2018 and Head of CSM for 2021-2022. Externally he has led international scientific drilling projects and sits on the Science Advisory Group of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Programme.
Professor Patrick Foster
Head of Camborne School of Mines
Dr Patrick Foster is the Director of Education and Associate Professor in Mine Safety at the Camborne School of Mines where he lectures and undertakes research into the health, safety and working environment aspects of mining and quarrying. His particular research interests are in safety management systems, human factors, risk management, surveying and underground communications.
Professor Michael Leyshon
Head of Centre for Geography and Environmental Science
Professor Michael Leyshon is a social geographer and currently Head of the Centre for Geography and Environmental Science. He has held a variety of management positions in the department including most recently being the Director of Education from 2019-2022. His research explores how third sector agencies and small businesses innovate to produce social change. Michael is the Co-founder and Co-Director of the Social Innovation Group at the University of Exeter, and an Associate of the Centre for Rural Policy Research.
Dr Markus Mueller
Head of Environmental Mathematics
My research addresses mathematical systems and control theory and their applications within marine engineering, renewable energy, systems biology and human wellbeing. My academic work includes developing the Applied Mathematics programmes for both undergraduate and postgraduate taught students at the Penryn Campus, with a focus on interdisciplinary applications and in close liaison with my colleagues.
Ms Aveen Hameed
Dr Jon Bennie
Dr Mark Callaway
Co-Director of Education
Dr Mark Callaway is a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics within the Centre for Environmental Mathematics. He is an Education and Scholarship Lecturer and the Co-Director of Education and Student Experience for the department, focussed on teaching and enhancing the student learning experience. He also holds the role of Senior Tutor, overseeing academic and pastoral support of taught students on the Applied Data Science + X programmes.
Professor Karen-Hudson Edwards
Professor Karen Anderson
Professor Caitlin DeSilvey
Co-Director of Global Engagement
I am a geographer whose research explores the cultural significance of change and transformation, with a particular focus on heritage ecologies and climate futures. I’ve worked with artists, archaeologists, environmental scientists and heritage practitioners on a range of interdisciplinary projects, supported by funding from UK research councils (AHRC, EPSRC, NERC), the Royal Geographical Society, the Norwegian Research Council and the European Social Fund. I often use visual imagery and story-telling to engage people in imagining changing environments and places, and look to patterns from the past to try to understand what the future might bring.
Dr Declan Vogt
Dr Matthew Eyre
Director of Business & Industrial Engagement
Matthew is an associate professor in intelligent mining and has applied digital optimisation services of both surface and underground operations in a regional and global context. He is also CEO of a university spin out company KMO-Fleet, specialising in the optimisation of mining fleets.
Professor Jamie Shutler
Director of Postgraduate Research
Jamie is an ocean and atmospheric scientist with a wide range of interests that exploit satellite Earth observation, in situ observations and models to study and monitor land, water and atmosphere environments and interactions, particularly in relation to climate. This includes studying atmosphere-ocean exchange of climatically important gases, carbon accounting, bacterial, biological, viral and chemical water quality and land-water continuum interactions. Jamie’s research projects have developed new understanding about the health of our environment and developed the synergistic use of remote sensing approaches through exploiting machine intelligence, signal processing, modelling and computer science techniques. Jamie also teaches atmospheric and oceanic circulation and their importance within the Earth system and how they drive our weather and climate.
Professor Jens Andersen
Dr Clemens Ullmann
Academic Lead for ECR network
Clemens V. Ullmann is a geochemist with an interest in stratigraphy, biomineralisation, palaeoenvironmental reconstruction, and diagenesis. He has been at University of Exeter since 2014, first as a Leopoldina Research Fellow and then as a postdoc working on the JET project to improve the understanding of the Early Jurassic Earth System and Timescale. Since 2021 he is a lecturer in Palaeontology, Palaeobiology and Biogeochemistry. He supports the departmental Early Career Researcher network building on longstanding experience in ECR leadership roles and also acts as the departmental deputy academic laboratory liaison.
