John Wilkinson

John Wilkinson is a Lecturer in Environmental Science at the University of York's Department of Environment and Geography. He specializes in analytical chemistry and environmental toxicology, focusing on pharmaceutical pollution in aquatic environments. His research includes global projects like the European iPiE initiative and the British Council STREAM project. He coordinates the Global Monitoring of Pharmaceuticals Consortium involving 127 researchers across 86 institutions. Prior roles include Postdoctoral Research Associate and Research Fellow at York, alongside a PhD from Kingston University (2017) and postgraduate studies at the University of Colorado.

His research interests span pharmaceutical contamination, antimicrobial resistance, and eco-toxicological impacts. He has published widely, with a landmark 2022 study mapping pharmaceutical pollution in 258 rivers across 104 countries. Awards include the Times Higher Education International Collaboration Award (2022) and the Cozzarelli Prize. He is active in professional bodies like the Royal Society of Chemistry and leads the Environmental Science and Management MSc program.

• Education:
  • PhD in Environmental Chemistry, Kingston University (2013–2017)
  • MSc in Sustainability, Environmental Science, Kingston University (2012–2013)
  • BS in Integrative Biology, University of Colorado (Denver, USA)
• Awards:
  • Times Higher Education Award (2022)
  • Cozzarelli Prize (2022)
  • Best Reviewer (Emerging Contaminants Journal, 2018)
• Grants/Projects:
  • NERC-funded project on riverine pollution (2023–2024)
  • Co-created research on global pharmaceutical monitoring

Wilkinson’s work bridges environmental chemistry and policy, addressing global challenges like pharmaceutical pollution and antibiotic resistance. His lab focuses on large-scale environmental monitoring and innovative analytical methodologies.