Two professors from St Andrews University have been recognised in the New Year Honours list for their careers working on green issues.
Ailsa Hall, a professor in biology, is to be made an OBE for her decades working in environmental protection and epidemiology.
Professor Hall was also the former director of the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU).
Also receiving an honour is St Andrews professor Anne Magurran, who will be made a CBE for services to biodiversity.
‘Very honoured’
As part of her work with the SMRU, Professor Hall led a research team dedicated to preserving and conserving biodiversity in the seas.
The work has influenced government policy on the protection of marine mammal populations around British waters.
It has also enabled the development of renewable energy sources such as wind and tidal energy. All while managing marine resources.
Professor Hall said she was “very honoured” to be awarded an OBE.
“I would like to thank all the staff and students at the SMRU for their support and dedication.
“The health of our oceans remains in jeopardy, so an understanding of how marine species may respond to future change continues to be crucial.”
Professor Hall’s work has also helped identify the cause of mass mortality events in marine mammals. This has seen a particular focus on the impact of pathogens, pollutants and toxins on seals and whales.
Recognised for bettering our understanding of biodiversity
Professor Magurran is a professor of ecology and evolution in the Centre for Biological Diversity at St Andrews University.
She is also part of the university’s Scottish Oceans Institute, which conducts research in marine science.
She has worked with experts across the globe – including Brazil, Malaysia and Thailand – on biodiversity, one of the most pressing issues of climate change.
Her work has also explored how biodiversity changed during the Anthropocene. That is a loosely-defined time period marking human impact on ecosystems.
That project used a biodiversity database to catalogue changes in nearly 400 ecosystems around the world.
