John Howe

John Howe is a Professor of Marine Geology at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) within the University of the Highlands and Islands. He leads the BSc (Hons) Marine Science undergraduate program and previously served as Head of the Biogeochemistry and Earth Sciences Department (2009–2015). His research focuses on marine geomorphology, sediment dynamics, and climate change archives using multibeam mapping and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). He has published over 90 peer-reviewed articles and secured grants from EU, NERC, and commercial projects.

• Education: Developed and delivered the BSc Marine Science degree since 1998.
• Research Interests: Fjord sedimentology, marine current-influenced sedimentation, Antarctic/Arctic climate records, and marine protected area monitoring.

Recent studies include assessments of elasmobranch habitats using AUVs (2025), entanglement risks from derelict fishing gear (2024), and tidal hydraulics in fjords (2023). His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals for ocean health and climate action.

• Grants: Major funding from EU, NERC, and commercial partnerships.
• Advising: Supervised 12 undergraduate geoscience projects and 5 PhD students.
• Labs/Teams: SAMS Energy Innovation Team and SAGES Graduate School (convener, 2016–2020).