Room: Room 212, Marine Centre Wales     Phone: 01248 383938

Email: s.p.neill@bangor.ac.uk

Web: Google Scholar; ResearchGate; Amazon Author Page; Twitter; Google Knowledge Panel

I am professor in physical oceanography, specializing in ocean renewable energy: characterizing the wave and tidal energy resource, understanding wave-tide interaction, optimizing grid integration of arrays of marine renewable energy devices, and quantifying the environmental impacts of extracting energy from the oceans. I am founder and course director of an MSc in Marine Renewable Energy, and committee member of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), working on revising IEC Technical Specification 62600-201: Tidal Energy Resource Assessment and Characterization. I am a member of the editorial board of the Elsevier journal Renewable Energy, have written a textbook on marine energy "Fundamentals of Ocean Renewable Energy: Generating Electricity from the Sea", and am lead sediment scientist at FORCE (Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy). I also have other shelf sea research interests, including palaeoceanography, sediment dynamics, and simulating the dispersal of marine organisms and microplastics.

I currently lead a wide range of research projects at Bangor University, including:

Research Areas

  • Other: PGCertHE
    2011
  • PhD: Estuarine physics
    University of Strathclyde, 2002
  • BEng: Civil Engineering
    University of Dundee, 1997

I am course director (and founder) of an MSc in Marine Renewable Energy, and module organiser of OSX-4023 "Marine Renewable Energy" at MSc level. At undergraduate level, I am module organiser of OSX-3016 "Ocean Modelling" and OSX-2007 "Prince Madog Cruise" – a multidisciplinary module that is based around our 35 m research vessel RV Prince Madog. I also contribute to modules OSX-4009, OSX-4016, OSX-3000, OSX-3005, OSX-2000, OSX-1000, and ONS-1001. I have been a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy since 2011. I am also the external examiner (2018-2022) for the MSc Marine Renewable Energy at Plymouth University.

I supervise many undergraduate and masters level research projects, particularly on the theme of marine renewable energy. In addition, I currently supervise the following PhD students:

Mike Case – impact of underwater noise propagation on fish.

Mike Ridgill - Remote Sensing of renewable energy resources

Nia Jones - Dispersal of microplastics in the marine environment

Aaron Furnish - Pathways to Realistic Impact Modelling in Estuarine Areas

I have a range of research interests in which PhD projects could be developed. Please contact me by email in the first instance regarding any of the following areas: marine renewable energy, wave and tidal resource characterization, wave/tide interaction, palaeoceanography, dispersal of marine organisms, and ocean modelling.

2025

2024

2023

2022

  • PublishedDrone-based large-scale particle image velocimetry applied to tidal stream energy resource assessment
    Fairley, I., Williamson, B., McIlvenny, J., King, N., Masters, I., Lewis, M., Neill, S., Glasby, D., Coles, D., Powell, B., Naylor, K., Robinson, M. & Reeve, D. E., 1 Aug 2022, In: Renewable Energy. 196, p. 839-855
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedEnvironmental issues for offshore renewable energy
    Wolf, J., De Dominicis, M., Lewis, M., Neill, S., O'Hara Murray, R., Scott, B. E., Zampollo, A., Chapman, J. & Declerck, M., 1 Feb 2022, Comprehensive Renewable Energy. 2nd ed. Elsevier
    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
  • PublishedEvidence of potential synergy between aquaculture and offshore renewable energy
    Demmer, J., Lewis, M., Robins, P. & Neill, S., 30 Sept 2022, In: International Marine Energy Journal. 5, 2
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedHydrokinetic energy conversion: A global riverine perspective
    Ridgill, M., Lewis, M., Robins, P., Patil, S. & Neill, S., Jul 2022, In: Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy. 14, 4, 044501.
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedLarval dispersal from an energetic tidal channel and implications for blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) shellfisheries
    Demmer, J., Neill, S., Andres, O., Malham, S., Jones, T. & Robins, P., 1 Dec 2022, In: Aquaculture International. 30, 6, p. 2969-2995
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedPriorities to inform research on marine plastic pollution in Southeast Asia
    Omeyer, L. C. M., Duncan, E. M., Aiemsomboon, K., Beaumont, N., Bureekul, S., Cao, B., Carrasco, L. R., Chavanich, S., Clark, J., Cordova, M. R., Couceiro, F., Cragg, S. M., Dickson, N., Frailler, P., Ferraro, G., Fletcher, S., Fong, J., Ford, A., Guttierrez, T. & Hamid, F. S. & 40 others, Hiddink, J. G., Hoa, P. T., Holland, S. L., Jones, L., Jones, N., Koldewey, H., Lauro, F. M., Lee, C., Lewis, M., Marks, D., Matallana-Surget, S., Mayorga-Adame, C. G., McGeehan, J., Fesser, L., Michie, L., Miller, M. A., Mohamad, Z. F., Nor, N. H. M., Muller, M., Neill, S., Nelms, S. E., Onda, D. F., Ong, J. J. L., Pariatamby, A., Phang, S. C., Quiliam, R., Robins, P., Salta, M., Sartimbul, A., Shakuto, S., Skov, M., Taboada, E. B., Todd, P. A., Toh, T. C., Valiyaveettil, S., Viyakran, V., Wonnapinij, P., Wood, L. E., Yong, C. L. X. & Godley, B. J., 1 Oct 2022, In: Science of the Total Environment. 841, 156704.
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedThe role of wind in controlling the connectivity of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) populations
    Demmer, J., Robins, P., Malham, S., Lewis, M., Owen, A., Jones, T. & Neill, S., 21 Jan 2022, In: Movement Ecology. 10, 1, 3.
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2021

  • PublishedA review of the UK and British Channel Islands practical tidal stream energy resource
    Coles, D., Angeloudis, A., Greaves, D., Hastie, G., Lewis, M., Mackie, L., McNaughton, J., Miles, J., Neill, S., Piggott, M., Risch, D., Scott, B., Sparling, C., Stallard, T., Thies, P., Walker, S., White, D., Willden, R. & Williamson, B. J., 24 Nov 2021, In: Proceedings of the Royal Society A . 477, 2255, 20210469.
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
  • PublishedA review of tidal energy - Resource, feedbacks, and environmental interactions
    Neill, S., Haas, K., Thiebot, J. & Yang, Z., Nov 2021, In: Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy. 13, 6, 17 p., 062702.
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
  • PublishedA standardised tidal-stream power curve, optimised for the global resource
    Lewis, M., O'Hara Murray, R., Fredriksson, S., Maskell, J., de Fockert, A., Neill, S. & Robins, P., 1 Jun 2021, In: Renewable Energy. 170, p. 1308-1323
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedEnvironmental Issues for Offshore Renewable Energy
    Wolf, J., Dominicis, M. D., Lewis, M., Neill, S., Murray, R. O., Scott, B., Zampollo, A., Chapman, J. & Declerck, M., 2021, Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences. Elsevier
    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
  • PublishedGlobal riverine theoretical hydrokinetic resource assessment
    Ridgill, M., Neill, S., Lewis, M., Robins, P. & Patil, S., 1 Aug 2021, In: Renewable Energy. 174, p. 654-665
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedIntroduction to Ocean Renewable Energy
    Neill, S., 2021, Comprehensive Renewable Energy. 2nd ed. Elsevier
    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
  • PublishedMeasuring and Observing the Ocean Renewable Energy Resource
    Christie, D. & Neill, S., 2021, Comprehensive Renewable Energy. 2nd ed.
    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
  • PublishedOcean Renewable Energy Test Centers
    Marti, V., Culina, J. & Neill, S., 9 Sept 2021, Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences. 2nd ed.
    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
  • PublishedSalinity Gradient Power
    Withers, T. & Neill, S., 20 Oct 2021, Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences. 2nd ed. Elsevier Press
    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
  • PublishedTidal Range Resource of Australia
    Neill, S., Hemer, M., Robins, P., Griffiths, A. & Furnish, A., 1 Jun 2021, In: Renewable Energy. 170, p. 683-692
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2024

2023

2022

  • BU-IIA Funded Project: Mapping Social Inequality in Flooding

    Future flood risk is unlikely to be equal across society because flood-vulnerability (hence economic loss) is linked to socio-economic factors. To protect against flooding, insurance is used alongside state-led protection measures (e.g. sea walls, culverts, etc). Planning laws are also used to reduce exposure by restricting development in high flood risk areas (zone C available here); however, the need for housing (e.g. government pledges for 300,000 new homes per year) may constrain where sustainable developments can occur (e.g. when including community needs/services, as well as access to mortgages and insurance).

    We hypothesize exposure to the changing flood risk will not be equal across society, given changing patterns of flood risk, demographics and flood protection (e.g. access to mortgages and insurance).

    We will show how flood risk will impact social demographics and recreation demographics, demonstrating the hidden value of big data within digital environmental themes. We will establish a method to harvest publicly available data, mapping land use (e.g. recreation) and value (house prices, tourism) to monitor value, and values, communities have with the environment. We aim to establish methods to harvest online-data to map spatio-temporal changes in how we use, and value, land as climate change impacts such spaces - using outputs from our NERC future climate change driven flooding project "SEARCH" and engagement with stakeholders (e.g. reinsurance and Environment Agency).

    Funding awarded through the Bangor University Innovation and Impact Award (Research Wales Innovation Funding). Value = £9798

    1 Apr 2022 – 31 Mar 2023

    Activity: Other (Contributor)
  • French Priority Research Program (External organisation)

    Expert panel member, ocean-based options to mitigate and adapt to climate change

    2022 →

    Activity: Membership of network (Chair)
  • Royal Society Partnership Grant

    Academic partner, Ysgol Sant Elfod

    2022 – 2023

    Activity: Types of Public engagement and outreach - Schools engagement (Contributor)

2016

2011

European Social Funds KESS2 MSc (research) studentship (Neill, Lewis, Robins) Remote Sensing of renewable energy resource (2018-2019) £18k (In partnership with Repetitive Energy Ltd.). Student: Mike Ridgill.

INTERREG IRELAND/WALES (Jenkins, Neill, Davies, Robins) ECOSTRUCTURE: climate change adaptation through ecologically sensitive coastal infrastructure (2017-2020). £774k (part of £3.5 million multi-partner grant)

European Social Funds KESS2 PhD studentship (Neill, Robins, Malham) Simulating variability of North Wales mussel populations (2015-2018) £53k (In partnership with Extra Mussel). Student: Jonathan Demmer.

Sêr Cymru NRN-LCEE (Neill, Masters, O’Doherty) QUOTIENT - Quantification, optimisation, and environmental impacts of marine renewable energy (2015-2018). £506,873

Santander Mobility Grant (Neill) Marine renewable energy visit to Instituto Superior Technico, Lisbon (2014). £857

EPSRC standard grant EP/J010200/1 (O'Doherty, Neill, et al.) The effects of realistic tidal flows on the performance and structural integrity of tidal stream turbines (2012-2015). £1,389,372

Fujitsu/HPC Wales (Neill) Feedback between tidal stream array operation and the marine environment - PhD studentship (2012-2016). £75,000 

European Fishery Fund (Kaiser, LeVay, McCarthy, Hiddink, Neill) Sustainable use of fisheries resources in Welsh waters (2012-2015). £2,503,000

Fujitsu/HPC Wales (Hashemi, Neill, Robins, Jago) Simulating the impacts of climate change on estuarine dynamics using an integrated catchment-to-coast model - PhD studentship (2012-2015). £70,100 

NRW - Ecosystem Resilience Fund (Davies, Neill, et al.) Drivers of change and the connectivity of Sabellaria alveolata reefs within Wales (2013-2014) £89,000 

Welsh European Funding Office (Neill, Davies, et al.) Low Carbon Research Institute (LCRI) Marine (2010-2013). £538,559 

Welsh Crucible (Neill, Grimstead) Simulating the impacts of climate change on the coastal zone: putting the end-user in the driving seat (2011-2012). £5,752

Welsh Crucible (Gil, Neill, et al.) Development of a new sustainable elastomeric energy harvester for marine environments (2011-2012). £9,000

Santander Mobility Grant (Neill) Marine renewable energy visit to University of Santiago de Compostela (2011). £1,000

NERC PhD studentship. (Neill and Scourse) Palaeoceanographic modelling of the NW European Shelf Seas since the LGM (2010-2014). £70,000

NERC standard grant NE/G020302/1 (Jago, Baas, Kennedy, Neill). Impacts of hydrological variability on material transfers through the River-Estuary Transition Zone (2009-2012). £592,776

INTERREG IVA (Malham, Neill, et al.) Shellfish productivity in the Irish Sea: working towards a sustainable future - SUSFISH (2009-2013). £638,602

NERC directed grant NE/F001266/1 (Creer, Hiddink, Neill). Sequencing the meiofaunal metagenome of the marine/freshwater interface in key estuarine ecosystems (2008-2011). £66,581

NERC urgency grant NE/E011268/1 (Hiddink, Carvahlo, Gascoigne, Kaiser, Neill). Recovery of benthic invertebrate communities and fishery overspill effects in newly created marine reserves (2007-2008). £281,251