Mark E Inall

Professor Mark E Inall is a Marine Physicist and Director of the Scottish Alliance for Geoscience, Environment and Society (SAGES) at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), part of the University of the Highlands and Islands. With 89 journal articles (H-index = 28) and membership on the Scottish Science Advisory Council, he maintains active research across diverse marine environments from equatorial waters to polar regions, accumulating 25 years of field experience including work on ice sheets and sea ice.

His research centers on physical oceanography and geophysical fluid dynamics with specific expertise in:

• Marine mixing processes and internal wave generation by tidal flow over topography
• Studies across multiple environments: deep sea (Mid-Atlantic Ridge), shelf seas (Malin Shelf, Antarctic Shelf), and coastal waters (Arctic fjords)
• Development and application of marine autonomous systems for ocean observation
• Geophysical turbulence and stratified flow dynamics
• Polar ocean-ice interactions and climate change impacts

Analysis of his recent publications reveals an evolving research trajectory with increasing focus on polar systems, particularly Arctic and Antarctic ocean-ice interactions. His work increasingly leverages autonomous platforms (AUVs, gliders) to investigate previously inaccessible regions, with growing emphasis on climate change impacts on ice sheets and fjord systems.

Professor Inall has received notable recognition including:

• Two Geophysical Research Letters Editor's special highlight paper selections
• Journal of Geophysical Research front cover highlight (February 2014)

He currently supervises PhD students Jamie Rodgers (sea ice retreat using AUVs) and James Coogan (Svalbard's subglacial discharge plumes), with former students including Neil Fraser (2018), Matt Toberman (2015), and Emily Venables (2011). His leadership extends to major initiatives including iAtlantic (EU Horizon 2020), CAMPUS (NERC), and OSNAP, alongside his role as Lead Scientist of the Scottish Marine Robotics Facility since 2009.

As Director of SAGES and chair of the NERC Marine Facilities Advisory Board, Professor Inall bridges fundamental ocean physics with practical applications for understanding climate change impacts on polar regions while advancing marine robotics capabilities.