Prof. Francis Daunt

Francis Daunt has 25 years’ experience of research into seabird population ecology. His main research interest is in understanding the impacts of anthropogenic change on seabird populations, in particular climate, fisheries and marine renewables. He employs a range of field-based empirical methods, including animal-borne instruments, observations and experiments. The outcome of this research is being used in decision-making on marine renewable developments and marine designations, for example Marine Protected Areas and fishery closures.

He leads UKCEH's long-term seabird study on the Isle of May, one of the longest running and most comprehensive of its kind in the world. He heads a research group of 11 research staff and has 18 former and 5 current PhD students. Francis has published >150 ISI papers, and >80 contract reports. He has led numerous projects on drivers of change in seabird populations funded by research councils, government and industry. He is an Individual Merit Promotion (IMP) Scientist and Group Leader of the Ecological and Socio-Ecological Interactions Group at UKCEH. He is an Honorary Professor at the School of Biology and Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews.