Mike Wood

Prof Mike Wood is a Professor of Applied Ecology and Associate Dean for Research & Innovation at the University of Salford’s School of Science, Engineering & Environment. His research focuses on environmental pollution’s impacts on wildlife and humans, including radioecology (especially in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone), noise pollution’s effects on birds, and food security related to inorganic pollutants in rice-based systems. He leads the University’s PollUtion REsearch (PURE) group and advises on environmental risk assessment tools like the ERICA tool.

Key achievements include developing noise impact assessment frameworks, establishing biomarker methodologies for pollutant effects, and contributing to radiation protection standards. He has received prestigious awards, including the Times Higher Education Research Award (2016) and the Society for Radiological Protection’s Founders’ Medal (2018). His work combines field studies, innovative data analysis (e.g., acoustic detection via AI), and public engagement initiatives like Virtual Chernobyl.

Prof Wood collaborates internationally with organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency and serves on editorial boards for journals like Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. His teaching spans undergraduate and postgraduate levels, with a focus on research-led education in environmental science.