Robert Mills

Dr. Robert Mills is a Lecturer in Environmental Science at the University of York's Department of Environment and Geography. His research focuses on biogeochemical processes in mountain ecosystems, particularly how soil organisms cycle carbon and nutrients under environmental change. He holds a PhD in Biogeochemistry from Bangor University and has held roles including NERC Soil Security Fellow at Lancaster University and postdoctoral researcher at WSL, Switzerland.

• Education:
  • PhD in Biogeochemistry, Bangor University
• Key Research Themes:
  • Long-term monitoring of mountain ecosystems in Scotland
  • Global FEAST project on alpine soil organic matter
  • Winter ecology and snowmelt impacts on soil functions

Rob leads a research group advising over a dozen PhD and MSc students, including work on alpine carbon dynamics and peatland functions. His grants include a £442k NERC fellowship and collaborative projects exploring alpine systems' resilience.

• Awards: NERC Soil Security Fellowship (2016-2019)
• Grants:
  • NERC Global Seedcorn Grant (£99,969)
  • NERC Urgency Grant RECOUP-Moor (£64,962)

His fieldwork spans European mountain ranges, with a focus on leveraging environmental gradients to predict ecosystem resilience. Current projects include snowbed soil carbon studies and elevation-driven soil function analyses in the European Alps.