Autor: Sophie A. Day (née Nicholson-Cole)

Robert Nicholls has studied coastal processes and coastal hazards for the last 25 years. In particular, he has an international reputation concerning climate change in coastal areas, especially the potential impacts and the possible responses. His research has involved studies across a range of scales from local (e.g., small towns) to the global. A distinctive dimension has been consideration of the coastal zone as a series of interacting systems which facilitates policy analysis. He has advised national governments (e.g., UK, Netherlands, Singapore, the Maldives) and intergovernmental organisations (e.g., OECD) on climate change and coastal issues, including as a lead author to five reports of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change assessment process. Currently, he is contributing to a series of research projects, including being Principal Investigator as follows: i COASST – a NERC-funded consortium project on predicting decadal coastal morphological evolution ESPA Deltas – an ESPA (DFID/NERC/ESRC-funded) project which is examining the future of ecosystem services and human well-being in coastal Bangladesh; DECCMA – a CARRIA (IDRC/DFID-funded) project which is examining adaptation to climate change in the three contrasting deltas of the Volta, Mahanadi and Ganges-Brahmaputra Deltas, with a main focus on migration. He was awarded the Roger Revelle Medal by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission in 2008. This recognises ‘outstanding contributions to the ocean sciences by inspired researchers who communicate their knowledge and global vision of the challenges facing our Planet in order to shape a better future for humankind’.See Web page: http://www.southampton.ac.uk/engineering/about/staff/rjn.page