Dr Gavin H Tilstone

Dr Gavin Tilstone is a Merit Scientist with over 30 years’ experience in the fields of Inherent and Apparent Optical properties, phytoplankton, photosynthesis, primary production, ocean colour remote sensing. He leads research on satellite ocean colour validation and algorithm development, on water quality including detecting harmful algal blooms and the use of satellite ocean colour in quantifying the marine carbon cycle.

Dr. Tilstone’s role is to expand the use of Earth Observation data for studying the environment and quantifying the marine carbon cycle by bringing in research funding and leading projects across the three PML Ocean Challenges. The results from the International, European and UKRI research projects that Dr Tilstone leads contribute to impact on policy using ocean colour space observations to address key questions on pollution, biodiversity and climate change.

Dr. Tilstone has participated in over 40 International, EU and UK research projects through which he has led over 25 bringing new approaches, ideas and valuable lines of research. He has employed a wide range post-doctoral researchers, visiting fellows and has supervised 10 PhD projects to completion.

Dr Tilstone has published over 120 peer-reviewed papers, with an H-index of 47 and i-10 index of 104. Gavin Tilstone gained his PhD in botany at the University of Exeter, UK and went on to do post-doctoral research on phytoplankton and bio-optics at CSIC, Vigo, Spain and Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.

---

Key Projects

• PhytoHAB: PI on UKRI ISBF. Detection of phytoplankton communities and harmful algal blooms from next-generation hyperspectral reflectance algorithms for New Zealand aquaculture sites 
• SeaSTAR: PI on UKRI ISBF. Potential drivers of SEdiment loAdS from caTchment to coAst using EO data foR New Zealand 
• SyncEd-Ocean: Co-I on UKRI TWINE contract. Synchronising Earth Observation, In situ and Modelling Frameworks Towards a Digital Twin Ocean
• Vis4Sea: PI on UKRI STFC EO4AgroClimate contract VISualisation and Assessment of water quality using an Open Data Cube FOR the weStern English chAnnel
• AMT4CO₂Flux: PI on European Space Agency contract Atlantic Meridional Transect for CO₂ Flux
• PRIMUS: WP lead on European Space Agency contract  Primary productivity in upwelling systems
• NEA PANACEA: Co-I on EU DG Environment contract North-East Atlantic project on biodiversity and eutrophication assessment integration and creation of effective measures
• FRM4SOC2: Co-I on EUMETSAT contract Fiducial Reference Measurements for Sentinel Ocean Colour 2 
• AMT4OceanSatFlux: PI on European Space Agency contract Atlantic Meridional Transect Ocean Flux from Satellite Campaign
• S-3EUROHAB: PI on INTERREG Va proposal. Satellite products for detecting EUtROphication and Harmful Algal Bloom events in the French-English Channel

---

Selected Publications

---

Additional Information

PhD Students:

Current students:

1. Co-Supervisor for Tess Ashen, Optical eye on trace metals in the ocean. Supervisors: Ussher (Uni Plymouth), Milne (Uni Plymouth), Tilstone (PML), Dall’Olmo (OGS), Homoky (Uni Leeds). Sept 2022 – March 2027.
2. Co-Supervisor for Jiaxin Liu, Global responses of Phytoplankton to Climate Variability. Supervisors: Cheng (Hohai University), Wang (Hohai University), Tilstone (PML), Quartly (PML), Sept 2024 – March 2028.

Previous students

• Principal Supervisor for Daniel Ford, GW4+ PhD (Grant no. NE/L002434/1), Carbon from Space: determining the biological controls on the ocean sink of CO2 from satellite, in the Atlantic and Southern oceans. Supervisors: Tilstone (PML), Shutler (Uni Exeter), Kitidis (PML), October 2018 – September 2021; Viva, August 2022.
• Co-supervisor for Emilie Courtecuisse on NERC Case-Industry PhD, Fluorometry for Rapid Eutrophication Status and Cyanobacteria Assessment (FRESCA; grant no. 1983680). Supervisors: Simis (PML), Tilstone (PML), Oxborough (Chelsea Inst. Ltd), Spyrakos (Uni Sterling), Hunter (Uni Sterling). Jan 2018 – June 2021; Viva, June 2023.
• Principal Supervisor for Kieran Curran NERC Shelf Seas Biogeochemistry PhD (Grant no. NE/L00013X/1), Size fractionated estimates of phytoplankton production from satellites for the UK shelf seas. Supervisors: Tilstone (PML), Brewin (PML), Bouman (Uni Oxford), Sathyendranath (PML). Oct 2013 – April 2018; Viva, June 2018.
• Principal Supervisor for Matthew Keys, NERC studentship (Grant no. NE/L50189X/1), Effect of future CO2, temperature and nutrient regimes on primary production in the Western English Channel. Supervisors: Tilstone (PML), Shutler (Uni Essex), Finlay (PML). Oct 2013 – March 2017; Viva, Jan 2018.
• Co-supervisor for Johanna Gloel on NERC SOFI Studentship CASE with PML (Grant no. NE/F012608/1), Triple oxygen isotope and oxygen/argon ratio measurements to enhance coastal and open ocean production/respiration comparisons. Supervisors: Kaiser (UEA), Tilstone (PML), Robinson (UEA), Jan 2009 – Dec 2011. Viva, Nov 2012.
• NERC Studentship G5236041-1: Morvan Barnes, Variability in primary production in the western English Channel. Supervisors: Smyth (PML), Tilstone (PML), Suggett (Uni Essex). Oct 2008 – Dec 2011; Viva, Feb 2012.
• Oxford University-PML Case Studentship (0711560248004): Alex Robinson, Estimation of marine productivity from space. Supervisors: Bouman (Uni Oxford), Tilstone (PML), Sathyendranath (PML). Started Oct 2008, submitted April 2013, Viva July 2013.
• Oxford University-PML Case Studentship: Thomas Jackson, Marine productivity in the Arctic Ocean. Supervisors: Bouman (Uni Oxford), Sathyendranath (PML), Tilstone (PML). Oct 2009 – Oct 2013; Viva, Jan 2014.
• PML Studentship: Victor Martinez-Vicente, Variability in optical backscattering in the marine environment. Supervisors: Tilstone (PML), Mitchelson-Jacob (Uni Bangor). Oct 2004 – Sept 2009; Viva, Nov 2009.

---