Richard Aspinall,
BSc, PhD, FRGS, CGeog

Professor Richard Aspinall joined the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in September 2006 from Arizona State University where he held the position of Professor and Chair of the School of Geographical Sciences from 2004.

Professor Aspinall previously worked at the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute between 1987 and 1997 on a wide variety of land use topics.

His research interests are in environmental geography, land use systems, landscape ecology, GISystems and GIScience, remote sensing, and quantitative geography and he is a member of the Scientific Steering Committee of the Global Land Project (GLP).

Carol Bisset,
BSc, FCCA

Carol Bisset manages the Corporate Services section at MLURI, leading the Finance, HR, Technical Services, IT, H&S and Research Station teams.  She is also Company Secretary to all of the companies and charities in the Macaulay Group, providing support to the Board of Governors of MLURI, the Directors of MSC and the Trustees of the Macaulay Development Trust. 

With a BSc in Zoology from Aberdeen University and an early career in postgraduate research before moving into finance and admin and gaining a professional accountancy qualification, Carol helps to bring together the scientific and administrative functions in the Institute.

Robert C Ferrier,
BSc, PhD

Bob Ferrier leads the Catchment Management Group, whose staff research the hydrological, hydrochemical, ecological and socio-economic consequences of environmental change on aquatic ecosystems. He champions research addressing the global challenge of diffuse pollution, and for an integrated approach to land and water management.

Bob was the first International Flagship Fellow for CSIRO's Water for a Healthy Country Programme advising on research strategy for the protection of the Great Barrier Reef. He is an Honorary Research Fellow in the College of Physical Science, University of Aberdeen, and a member of the CEH Programme Development Group advising on CEH Science Strategy.

Pete Goddard,
BVetMed, PhD, MRCVS

Dr Pete Goddard is the head of the Ecology Group and is the Institute’s Principal Veterinary Research Officer.  Pete joined the Institute in 1989 and since that time has worked on the management and welfare of ruminants in extensive systems.  Much of the early work was to support the developing deer farming industry but more latterly the focus has been on natural and semi-natural systems. Pete is current chair of the Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law Veterinary Association and President of the North of Scotland division of the British Veterinary Association.

David Miller

David Miller leads the Integrated Land Use Systems Group, whose staff are working towards understanding how social, economic and biophysical processes interact to influence socio-ecosystem function, particularly in relation to land-use, and to use this understanding to evaluate options for sustainable land management of relevance to policy-making.

David has a BSc in Topographic Science from University of Glasgow, and a PhD on expert systems from the University of Aberdeen. He has worked at the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute since 1984.

Bill Slee,
MA Cantab, PhD Aberdeen

Bill Slee leads the Socio-Economics Research Group, which has a staff complement of around twenty social scientists, including economists, geographers, psychologists and sociologists. Bill is a rural economist with research interests in rural development, rural land use adjustment, forestry and climate change. He recently was a member of Royal Society of Edinburgh's Inquiry examining the Future of the Hills and Islands and is currently active on research for the European Commission and the Scottish Government.

Colin Campbell,
BSc, PhD

Colin Campbell leads the Soils Group, whose staff undertake work on a wide range of scientific disciplines, reflecting the complexity and cross cutting nature of modern soil research.

Colin has 19 years of research experience in soil microbiology/soil science. His expertise lies in fundamental and applied studies on the role of microorganisms in soil, the effects of pollutants and soil health as well as understanding how microbial diversity contributes to ecosystem functioning in natural habitats.

Andy Midwood,
BSc, PhD, CChem, MRSC

Andy Midwood leads the Analytical Group which is comprised of over 30 members of staff, visiting workers and students. Andy has over 20 years experience working in analytical laboratories and has particular interests in the analysis of stable isotopes. His current research is focused on studying soil carbon dynamics, and soil-plant interactions using natural abundance 13C techniques. How soils will respond to predicted climate change is a central theme to his research, which involves collaboration with groups both in the UK and abroad, including New Zealand, Canada and the USA.

Richard V Birnie,
BSc, PhD, PGCE

Dr Richard Birnie is Head of Communication Services, part of the Administration Group. Communication Services supports the Institute’s activities relating to external communications, public relations, event management, website development, graphics and photography. Dr Birnie has overall responsibility for the Institute’s communications strategy. He has a BSc and PhD from the University of Aberdeen, and a PGCE from the University of Cambridge. He joined the Remote Sensing Unit at the Macaulay Institute in 1980 after a period of postdoctoral research at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. Since then he held a number of senior research and management positions within the Institute.

Jeremy Evans,
BA (Hons), MA

Jeremy Evans coordinates the activities of the Business Development Unit, part of the Administration Group.

Jeremy holds a BA (Hons) in Social Anthropology from the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa) and an MA in International Development and Social Change from Clark University (USA). He has worked as a principal social scientist for the environmental division of a South African research council, and also led corporate strategy for a major South African water utility. For several years he developed new environmental business consulting lines for an international professional services firm before taking up his post at the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute.

David Stone,
BSc, MSc

David Stone joined the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in 1997 following 4 years as a researcher and systems administrator at The Meteorological Office.

David currently leads the Information Technology Services group which comprises specialist staff providing diverse technology to support and enhance the research and administrative activities within the Institute.

The strategic planning of IT, making technology decisions, and improving operations within the IT department are key areas of the role.

Steve Albon,
BSc, PhD, FRSE

Coordinates the Environment - Land Use and Rural Steward research programme for Scottish Government, and is Deputy Director of the SG Centre of Excellence in Epidemiology, Population health and Infectious disease Control (EPIC).

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2008 for his contribution to understanding the ecology of natural populations of ungulates. Steve has demonstrated 1) cohort effects on fitness induced by food limitation when in utero, 2) parasite–mediated density-dependent regulation in a mammal, the reindeer, and 3) empirical evidence on the controversy about grazing impacts of deer versus sheep on natural heritage.