Elizabeth Masden

Elizabeth Masden is a Research Fellow at the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), specializing in the impacts of human activities on seabird populations and marine ecosystems. Her work focuses on renewable energy development (wind, wave, tidal), oil and gas infrastructure, and marine litter, with an emphasis on cumulative environmental effects. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Glasgow (2010) and has published extensively on seabird ecology, spatial modeling, and conservation strategies.

Education:

• Doctor of Philosophy (2010), University of Glasgow
• Master of Research (2006), University of York
• Bachelor of Science (2004), University of St. Andrews

Research Interests:

Her research integrates population dynamics and spatial ecology to address challenges posed by renewable energy projects and climate change. Key areas include seabird foraging behavior, collision risk modeling, and the conservation of vulnerable species like the Great Black-backed Gull and European Shag. She also explores innovative monitoring methods to assess ecological impacts in data-sparse regions.

Recent Articles:

Masden’s recent work (2023–2025) addresses cumulative impacts of offshore wind farms, niche partitioning in gull species, and environmental risks of emerging technologies like floating solar photovoltaic systems. Her findings inform policy and conservation strategies to balance renewable energy expansion with biodiversity protection.

Grants & Supervision:

Masden has supervised 5 research projects and contributed to grants evaluating ecological monitoring needs for infrastructure development. Her collaborations span international teams and focus on mitigating human-wildlife conflicts in marine environments.

Labs/Teams:

She is part of the Energy Innovation Team at ERI, collaborating on projects such as the Trollvind OWF cumulative impact assessment and the GlobalSeaweedSTAR initiative. Her work often intersects with marine spatial planning and sustainable development goals.