David Sims

Professor David Sims is a leading marine ecologist affiliated with the University of Southampton’s School of Ocean and Earth Science and the Marine Biological Association (MBA) in Plymouth. His roles include Professor of Marine Ecology and Senior MBA Research Fellow. He has held positions such as Deputy Director for Research at MBA and Reader at the University of Plymouth.

• Current Affiliations: University of Southampton, MBA (Plymouth)
• Research Focus: Marine predator ecology, biotelemetry, climate change impacts, and conservation biology

His research explores animal movement ecology, particularly shark behavior, and applies bio-logging technologies to understand predator-environment interactions. Key projects include the Global Shark Movement Project, tracking over 150 scientists across 26 countries to assess threats like fishing and shipping collisions. He leads the Ocean Predator Movement Ecology and Conservation group, mentoring PhD students like Amy Jeffries and Matt Waller.

Publications highlight topics like climate-driven deoxygenation effects on sharks and whale shark collision risks with shipping. His work bridges science and conservation, influencing policies like CITES and CMS listings for basking sharks.

Awards include the ERC Advanced Grant (2020), ZSL Marsh Award (2019), and election to Academia Europaea (2016). His labs and teams focus on mitigating anthropogenic threats through interdisciplinary approaches.