Modelling Microplastics in the River Thames: Sources, Sinks and Policy Implications

Paul Whitehead is Professor of Water Science at the University of Oxford and Professor Emeritus from Reading University. He has over 35 years’ experience of research on water quality and pollution issues, and has a special interest in modelling, including the development and application of dynamic, stochastic and planning models. He has been director of the £11 million NERC Macronutrient Cycles Programme and has been successful in running over 50 projects funded by NERC, EPSRC, ESRC, EU, EA and a range of Government Departments such as DEFRA, DFID and DTI. Professor Whitehead has served on several senior NERC committees such as the Thematic Programme Planning committees for the River Ecology Programme (NERC £8 million), Pollution Pathways Programme (NERC £8million), Land Use Research Programme (NERC £12 million), Joint NERC/AFRC Agricultural Pollution Programme (£9 million), NERC LOIS Programme (£36 million) and Environmental Diagnostics (NERC £6million). He has also been an environmental research advisor to the EU, Belgium and Romania and he has also worked in Nepal, Thailand, India, China, Brazil, Australia and the USA. He has published widely with over 220 papers in the refereed literature as well as being guest speaker at a wide range of conferences and meetings.