David Paterson

Professor David Paterson is Executive Director of the Marine Alliance for Science & Technology Scotland (MASTS) and holds a faculty position at the School of Biology, University of St Andrews. His research focuses on marine ecology, biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships, and climate change impacts on coastal systems. He leads interdisciplinary studies on biogenic stabilization, sediment dynamics, and the ecological effects of human-made offshore structures like oil platforms and wind farms.

Education: Ph.D. (University of Bath), B.Sc. (University of Glasgow). Professional affiliations include the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography and the International Society for Diatom Research.

Key grants include NERC-funded projects on sustainable marine resource management (SMMR) and decommissioning strategies for offshore structures (FuECoMMS). Collaborations span academia and industry, addressing environmental impacts of energy infrastructure and coastal zone management. He chairs the European Marine Biological Resource Centre (EMBRC) General Assembly and SOTEAG Shetland Oil Terminal Advisory Group.

Research groups: Scottish Oceans Institute, Coastal Resources Management Group, Sediment Ecology Research Group. Projects emphasize biogeochemical processes, microphytobenthos, and the role of microbial biofilms in sediment stability.