Professor David Copplestone

Professor

Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Professor David Copplestone

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About me

I have 25 years’ experience studying the behaviour, effects and fate of radionuclides in the environment and have previously worked for the Environment Agency in England.

I have active international collaborations throughout Europe, Australia, India, Canada, Ukraine, USA. Since 2004 I have been involved in collaborative research activities through the International Atomic Energy Agency working groups in their EMRAS, EMRAS II, Modaria and Modaria II programmes on modelling radionuclide behaviour and fate in the environment.

Ongoing activities within the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) as a member of Committee 5 (2009-2016) on Environmental Protection and since 2016 on Committee 4 (Applications of the recommendations of the ICRP). Participating in ICRP Task Group 99 (Update to the Reference Animals and Plants) and chairing Task Group 105 (Considering the environment when applying the system of radiological protection). Between 2000-2012 I was secretary, and since 2012 Treasurer, to the UK Coordinating Group on Environmental Radioactivity.

My research focuses on assessing the exposure and effects of ionising radiation on wildlife from all sources of release including from the nuclear industry, accidents (e.g. Chernobyl) and small user sources such as from hospitals and research institutes. The study of radionuclides can also tell us about the fate and behaviour of non-radioactive contaminants (e.g. heavy metals, persistent organic compounds) in the environment and consequently I have an interest in how environmental contaminants in general impact on the environment. Specifically, I have been involved in the development of scientific approaches to evaluate the biological impact of contaminants (primarily radionuclides) on wildlife. I am part of the international team maintaining the ERICA Tool, which is the most widely used environmental radiological assessment model for predicting the risk to wildlife from ionising radiation.

I was Co-I and the work package leader on effects of the NERC, RWM and Environment Agency-funded TREE (Transfer-Exposure-Effects) project which has conducted the largest ever co-ordinated study of the effects of radiation on wildlife in the Chernobyl exclusion zone coupled with controlled laboratory experiments.

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