Will Blake Email & Phone Number

My research focuses on the impact of human actions and natural disturbances in river basins on food, water and energy security. In particular, I explore catchment fine sediment dynamics from soil erosion and sediment transport through to siltation of river channels, reservoirs, lakes and estuaries. I am also interested in the fate of contaminants associated with runoff and fine sediment e.g. nutrients from agriculture and heavy metals from mining.Current projects are focused on land degradation in East Africa, siltation of hydropower reservoirs in Latin America and downstream water quality impacts of agriculture in UK with emphasis on interdisciplinary integration to deliver tangible solutions to complex environmental problems.Within my discipline, I specialise in the application of sediment tracing technology to quantify soil erosion and sediment transfer to aquatic systems. My work in this area is strengthened by involvement in joint International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and UN FAO Coordinated Research Programmes (CRPs) concerning application of nuclear techniques to support food and water security. In this regard I provide capacity building training through organised workshops in UK and overseas and hosting visiting research fellows at University of Plymouth .At University of Plymouth, UK, I am Director of the Sustainable Earth Institute that brings together researchers from natural and social sciences, engineering, arts, humanities, health and business, to take an interdisciplinary, systems-thinking approach to help tackle sustainability challenges.I am also Director of the Consolidated Radioisotope Facility (CoRiF). The CoRiF laboratory is pleased to host international visiting research fellows in this area and we welcome enquiries. We also undertake contract analyses (e.g. gamma spectrometry for sediment fingerprinting and sediment geochronology, XRF geochemistry for sediment fingerprinting).Current and recent research projects include: IMIXSED Project: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/schools/school-of-geography-earth-and-environmental-sciences/imixsed-projectJali Ardhi [GCRF] project: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/centre-for-research-in-environment-society/jali-ardhiELMS-Exchange: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/institutes/sustainable-earth/elms

Listed skills include Soil Erosion, Catchment Management, Sediment Tracing, River Basin Sediment Dynamics, and 5 others.