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Associate Director, Business Development

Within the Scottish Marine Institute I have the role of Associate Director and Head of Business Development. I am a member of the Directorate and as such I support the Director and Deputy Director in the running of the organisation. A main responsibility is the development and management of the Business Development Department. I am also a member of the Executive Group of SAMS, Head of the Centre for Industrial Ocean Impacts, a senior scientist and principal investigator in the Department of Biogeochemistry and Earth Science.

As a principal investigator I have extensive experience in marine geochemical and biogeochemical research. I also have a strong background in radiochemistry and have conducted environmental research using radionuclides as tracers of marine processes.

My current research interests include:

  • Investigating and assessing man's impact on the marine environment through monitoring pollutants and the biogeochemical processes involved in their redistribution. I work with the nuclear, mining and oil/gas industries to utilise scientific knowledge to ensure that impacts are minimised and help find solutions to mitigate or manage impacts
  • Using natural and man-made radionuclides as tracers of marine processes, e.g. to assess sediment accumulation and mixing rates, as well areas of sediment erosion and focusing
  • Global climate change: the development and use of palaeoceanographic proxies within fjordic sediments to investigate high resolution environmental change over the last 10,000 years
  • Investigating pollutant sources and transport pathway to the Arctic using stable lead isotopes

 

Career / education

Research

Research activities

Current research projects

 

Past research projects

 

Grant capture

Since 1996 Tracy has supported her research with funding in access of £6M from a variety of sources.

PROJECT TITLE
FUNDER
DURATION
ROLE
£ 000 
Specific guidelines, expert advise
PNG
2010
PI
80
Expert witness
PNG
2010
PI
20
Environmental survey, commercial
DP Energy
2009-2010
PI/Co-PI 165
Otolith analysis
FRS
2009
PI
17
Otolith analysis
FRS
2008
PI
16
Carbon & radioisotope analysis (Oceans 2025 Theme 3 WP3.8)
NERC
2007-2012
PI
447
Climate change (Oceans 2025 Theme 1 WP 1.6)
NERC 2007-2012 PI
1,580
Nuclear counting equipment (Oceans 2025 capital funding
NERC 2007-2012 PI
68
Mooring (Oceans 2025 capital funding)
NERC 2007-2012 PI
130
Oceans 2025 WP 3.9
NERC 2007-2012 Co-PI
266
Independent investigation of deep-sea tailings placement in PNG
EU/PNG
2007-2009
PI
1,540
ECOMAR
NERC
2006-2011
Co-PI
260
Otolith analysis
FRS
2006-2007
PI
14
BUTEC Phase II: Multibeam & benthic survey, Raasay underwater range
QINETIC
2006
Co-PI
46
Scottish Alliance for Geosciences, Environment and Society
SFC
2006-2011
PI
293
Radiocarbon dating
NERC
2005-2006
Co-PI
4
El Nino Souther Ocean Circulation
NERC
2004-2006
PI
17
EIA: Baseline study of the marine environment around Dounreay
UKAEA
2003-2004
PI
472
An investigation of temporal trends of pollutant inputs within the Arctic environment from freshwater lake to the deep ocean (PhD studentship)
UHI
2003-2006
PI
57
EIA: Butec Test Range, Applecross
QINETIC 2003-2004
PI
26
Review of data and knowledge held at Dounreay site with respect to the marine environment
UKAEA
2002
PI
18
Benthic processes in the Arabian Sea: mechanistic relationships between benthos, sediment biogeochemistry, and organic matter cycling
NERC
2001-2004
PI
317
Environmental desktop study: Environmental impact of Sonobuoy testing at BUTEC Applecross facility
QINETIC
2001
PI
10
Reconstruction of climatic change using high resolution shallow marine records over the last 2000 years
EC HOLSMEER
2001-2003
PI
(151,000 Euro)
EIA baseline study (commercial) geochemistry section
ECOS
1998
PI
43
Review of Data for EIA
STATOIL
1998
PI
13
Analysis (commercial)
GARDLINE(2)
1998
PI
28
Analysis (commercial)
GARDLINE
1997
PI
22
A study of sediment transport and fluxes from a river mouth to a deep basin environment EC BASYS
1996-1999
PI
(108,205 Euro)
      TOTAL 6,128
      PI
5,653
      Co-PI
475

 

 

Publications

Refereed publications
  • Adey, EA, Black KD, Sawyer, T, Shimmield, TM and Trueman, CN, 2009, Scale microchemistry as a tool to investigate the origin of wild and farmed Salmo salar. Marine Ecology-Progress Series. 390: 225-235 DOI: 10.3354/meps08161 
  • Law, GTW; Shimmield, TM; Shimmield, GB; et al. Manganese, Iron, and Sulphur cycling on the Pakistan margin. Deep-Sea Research Part II-Topical Studies in Oceanography 56 (6-7): 305-323. DOI: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2008.06.011 
  • C.-D. Hillenbrand, J.A. Smith, O. Esper, R. Gersonde, M. Korte, G. Kuhn, R.D. Lart, B. Maher, S.G. Moreton and Shimmield  TM,  2010, Age assignment of a diatomaceous ooze deposited in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment after the Last Glacial Maximum. Journal of Quaternary Science. 25 (3): 280-295 DOI: 10.1002/jqs.1308 
  • Dean  RJ , Shimmield  TM  and Black  KD . 2007. Copper, zinc and cadmium in marine cage fish farm sediments: An extensive survey. Environmental Pollution. 145(1):84-95
  • Gehrels  RW, Marshall  WA, Gehrels  MJ, Larsen  G, Kirby  JR, Eiriksson  J, Heinemeier  J and Shimmield  TM . 2006. Rapid sea-level rise in the North Atlantic Ocean since the first half of the nineteenth century. Holocene. 16(7):949-965
  • Gutierrez  T , Shimmield  TM , Cheryl Haidon, Black  KD  and Green  DH. 2008. Emulsifying and metal ion binding activity of a glycoprotein exopolymer produced by Pseudoalteromonas species TG12. Applied And Environmental Microbiology. 74(15):4867-4876
  • Howe  JA, Shimmield  TM  and Harland  R. 2008. Late Quaternary glaciomarine sedimentation and contourites in the Fram Strait. Sedimentology. 55:179-200
  • Howe  JA , Wilson  CR, Shimmield  TM, Diaz  R and Carpenter  L. 2007. Recent deep-water sedimentation, trace metal and radioisotope geochemistry across the Southern Ocean and Northern Weddell Sea, Antarctica. Deep-Sea Research Part Ii-Topical Studies In Oceanography. 54:1652-1681
  • Jackson  D, Stone  D, Smith  K, Morgan  G and Shimmield  TM . 2007. Assessing the environmental risk from hot particles in the vicinity of Dounreay - a case for inaction?. need To Enter Jrnl Fullname. 27(3A)(Sp.Iss):A111-A118(8)
  • Morales-Nin  B, Swan  SC , Gordon  JDM , Palmer  M, Geffen  AJ, Shimmield  TM  and Sawyer  TT . 2005. Age-related trends in otolith chemistry of Merluccius merluccius from the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean and the western Mediterranean Sea. Marine And Freshwater Research. 56(5):599-607
  • N. NØRGAARD-PEDERSEN, W.E.N. AUSTIN, T. SHIMMIELD  AND J. HOWE (IN PRESS, Marine Geology), THE HOLOCENE RECORD OF LOCH ETIVE, WESTERN SCOTLAND: INFLUENCE OF RELATIVE SEA LEVEL AND CATCHMENT AREA CHANGES.
  • Swan, S.C., Geffen, A.J., Morales-Nin, B., Gordon, J.D.M., Shimmield, T., Sawyer, T. and.Massuti, E., (in press) Otolith microchemistry: an aid to stock separation of Helicolenus dactyloperus (bluemouth) and Merluccius merluccius (European hake) in the NE Atlantic Mediterranean
  • Swan, S.C., Wright, P.J., Woodroffe, D.A., Gordon, J.D.M., Shimmield, T., (2004). Evidence for geographical isolation of the early life stages of the white anglerfish, Lophius piscatorius, based on otolith microchemistry. J. Mar. Biol. Ass U.K., 84, 827-830.
  • Swan, S.C., Gordon, J.D.M., Morales-Nin, B., Shimmield, T., Sawyer, T. and Geffen, A.J., (2003) Otolith microchemistry of Nezumia aequalis (Pisces:Macrouridae) from widely different habitats in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. Journal of the Marine Biological Association, 83, 883-886.
  • E. Viollier C. Rabouille,  S. E. Apitz, E. Breuer,  G. Chaillou,  K. Dedieu,  Y. Furukawa,  C. Grenz,  P. Hall, F. Janssen,  J. L. Morford, J. -C. Poggiale, S. Roberts, T. Shimmield,  M. Taillefert,  A. Tengberg,  F. Wenzhöfer and U. Witte. Benthic biogeochemistry: state of the art technologies and guidelines for the future of in situ survey (2003). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 285-286.  Pp 5-31
  • Howe, J.A., Shimmield, T., Austin, W.E.N and Longva, O. Post-glacial depositional processes in a glacially-overdeepened sea loch, upper Loch Etive, Western Scotland. Marine Geology (2002) 185, 417-433
  • Emeis, K. , Christiansen, C., Edelvang, K., Jähmlich, S., Kozuch, J., Laima, M., Leipe, T., Löffler, A., Lund-Hansen, L.C., Miltner, A., Pazdro, K., Pempkowiak, J., Shimmield, G., Shimmield, T., Smith, J. , Voss, M. and Witt, G. Material transport from the nearshore to the basinal environment in the Southern Baltic Sea, II: Origin and properties of material. sub group 3a, Journal of Marine System, 35, 2002, 151-168.
  • Christiansen, C., Edelvang, K., Emeis, K.), Graf, G., Jähmlich, S.,  Kozuch, J., Laima, M., Leipe, T., Löffler, A., Lund-Hansen, L.C., Miltner, A., Pazdro, K., Pempkowiak, J., Shimmield, G., Shimmield, T., Smith, J. , Voss, M. and Witt, G. Material transport from the nearshore to the basinal environment in the Southern Baltic Sea, I: Process and mass estimates. sub group 3a, Journal of Marine System, 35, 2002, 131-150.
  • Shimmield, G., Kroon, D., Austin, W., Chapman, M., Jones, J., Derrick, S., P Knutz & Shimmield T. (2000). Century to millenial-scale sedimentological-geochemical records of glacial-Holocene sediment variations from the Barra Fan (NE Atlantic). Journal of the Geological Society, London, Vol. 157, 2000, pp 643-653.
  • Alexander, W.R. and Shimmield T.M., (1990). Microwave oven dissolution of geological samples: Novel application in the determination of natural decay series radionuclides. J. Radioanal.NUCL.CHEM., Letters 145 /4/ 301-310.
  • Mackenzie, A.B., Scott, R.D. and Williams T.M., (1987). Mechanisims of northwards dispersal of Sellafield waste. Nature, vol329, N0 6134, pp. 42-45.

 

For a full list about Tracy's publications, including reports and non-SCI listed publications, please use the search function on the righ.

External

External activities / measures of esteem
  • Advice to commercial bodies to develop work streams and plans for EIAs
  • At present I am advising the State of Papua New Guinea on the management of deep sea tailing discharge. I interact with the Deputy Prime Minister, Mining Minister, Environment Minister, and Director of the Mineral resource authority
  • I am also asked for advice by major mining companies which I give with SAMS reputation in mind.
  • I am presently appearing as a witness for the State of Papua New Guinea and advising them on their environmental plans including the setting up of an Environmental Protection Authority.
  • I am asked to give keynote presentations and be on working groups.

Teaching

Students and teaching activities

Current PhD students

  • Clare Johnson 'Tracing water masses in the northern Rockall Trough' (2003-present, part-time)
  • Kate McIntyre 'Onshore offshore limits of Younger Dryas Ice Sheets' (2007-2010)

 

Past PhD students (alumni)

  • Elizabeth Adey 'Distinguishing wild from farmed salmon using laser ablation mass spectrometry' (2003-2007)
  • Suzanne MacLachlan 'Holocene Climate Variability: Glacial history from an Arctic fjord, western Spitsbergen, Svalbard' (2003-2007)
  • Lindsay Vare 'An investigation of temporal trends of pollutant inputs within the Arctic environment' (2003-2007)
  • Gareth Law 'Cycling of trace metals in organic rich sediments off Pakistan and Loch Etive in Scotland (2003-2007)
  • Susan Gass 'Environmental Sensitivity of Cold-water Corals' (2002-2006)
  • Rebecca Dean 'Physical and biogeochemical pathways of fish farm wastes in Scottish Sea Lochs' (2000-2005)

 

BSc (Hons) Marine Science teaching

  • Module leader: Palaeoceanography (year 4)
  • Lecturer: Polar Seas (year 4)
  • Lecturer: Sediment Processes (year 3)
 
My contact details

Dr Tracy Shimmield SAMS

Dr Tracy Shimmield

E: tracy.shimmield@sams.ac.uk

T: +44 (0)1631 559 255

F: +44 (0)1631 559 001

Scottish Marine Institute

Oban, Argyll PA37 1QA, UK

Publication List