Dr Thiago Silva

Senior Lecturer

Biological and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Stirling Stirling FK9 4LA Scotland UK

Dr Thiago Silva

About me

When I was first applying for university, I had a hard time deciding between Ecology and Computer Science - which is perhaps why I chose to specialise in ecosystems and functional ecology. It is only natural I am most fascinated by the 'algorithms' of nature. Throughout my career, I have continuously alternated between the (un)stable states of Ecologist, Geoscientist and Computer Scientist, but always with a focus on understanding what makes ecosystems work the way they do.

Nowadays I like to define myself as a "digital ecologist", but if you prefer, my official title is Senior Lecturer in Environmental Informatics. I have been at University of Stirling since 2019, where I teach or have taught Geomatics (GEOU9IS, ENMPG11), Plant Ecology (BIOU6PE), Statistics with R (SCIU7SR/ENMPG03) and Field Biology (SCIU3FB).

I am also a National Geographic Explorer, and an Associate Editor for Global Ecology and Biogeography.

My main ecological focus is on how plant communities and ecosystems assemble and function in complex, abiotic-driven environments like wetlands, dry forests, savannas, and high-elevation vegetation - and how they are being affected by the climate crisis. I am also a firm believer that ecology should focus a bit less on "species" and a bit more on functions and mechanisms.

As a geoscientist, I specialise in using Earth Observation (Remote Sensing), environmental sensing and other Earth science methods to capture how ecosystems are shaped by their environment. On my recent projects I have strongly focused on the use of laser scanning (LiDAR, terrestrial and airborne) to understand vegetation structure and plant architecture.

And as a computer scientist, I use 'traditional' statistics and machine learning, mostly coded using R and Python, to analyse, simulate and forecast ecological processes. I'm also looking for opportunities to use game design methods and tools to improve ecological modelling and visualisation, especially in combination with VR/AR/XR for data exploration and science education.

Lately I've also been really interested in developing specialised, open-source software and hardware to push the envelope of ecological research: drones, automated cameras, passive audio recorders and any low-cost sensing hardware built using single board computers, microcontrollers and 3D printing.

Below you can see a couple videos produced by National Geographic and Rolex highlighting our latest project in the Amazon wetlands:

CV

Education

  • 2003–¬2009Ph.D., Geography. University of Victoria, Canada.
  • 2002–¬2003M.Sc., Remote Sensing. National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Brazil.
  • 1998–¬2002B.Sc. (Hons.), Biology. Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Brazil.

Professional Experience

  • 2023 -presentSenior Lecturer. University of Stirling, UK. Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences.
  • 2019–2023Lecturer. University of Stirling, UK. Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences.
  • 2013–2019Assistant Professor. São Paulo State University (UNESP), Brazil. Geography Department, Institute for Geosciences and Mathematical Sciences-
  • 2010–2013Postdoctoral Researcher. National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Brazil. Remote Sensing Division
  • 2009–2010Postdoctoral Researcher. University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB), USA. Earth Research Institute.
  • 2009–2010Sessional Lecturer. Camosun College, Canada. Geography Department
  • 2009–2010Sessional Lecturer. University of Victoria, Canada. Geography Department
  • 2003–2009Teaching Assistant. University of Victoria, Canada. Geography Department

Grants and Awards

  • 2023-present : Natural Environment Research Council. Tree_PlaNat: Stakeholder perceptions and socio-ecological consequences of Treescape expansion through Planting and Natural colonisation.
  • 2021–present : National Geographic Society / Rolex Perpetual Planet. The future of Amazonian flooded forests: how will tree species respond to inundation changes?
  • 2021-2024: Scottish Environmental Protection Agency. Aerial monitoring of tidal erosion and sedimentation in Dalgety Bay, Fife, Scotland.
  • 2018– 2022": NSF DEB. Aquatic metabolism and carbon dioxide flux: Linking physical and biological processes in Amazon floodplains.
  • 2018–2020: Brazilian Council for Scientific Research (CNPq). Using managed pollinators to support conservation and sustainable açai production in the Amazon estuary region.
  • 2017–2019: National Geographic Society Committee for Research and Exploration. Spatial and temporal carbon dynamics in Amazonian várzea forests: the role of flood dynamics and landscape heterogeneity.
  • 2013–2015: Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Assessment of PALSAR-2 SAR imagery for monitoring inundation and vegetation distribution, biomass and phenology in the Amazon floodplain wetlands.
  • 2017–2020: NASA. Methane fluxes from tropical aquatic systems: integration of measurements, hydrological and biogeochemical models and remote sensing.
  • 2014– 2019: São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). e-phenology: combining new technologies to monitor phenology from leaves to ecosystems.
  • 2017–2019São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). Application of UAV High-Resolution Digital Elevation Models in Geology and Geomorphology.
  • 2016–2019 USAID PEER. History and diversification of floodplain forest bird communities in Amazonia: towards an integrated conservation plan.
  • 2012–2017NSF Dimensions of Biodiversity /São Paulo Research Foundation BIOTA. Assembly and evolution of the Amazon biota: an integrative approach. 2013–2016Brazilian Council for Scientific Research (CNPq). Modeling the primary productivity of herbaceous vegetation in the Amazon floodplains: a multiscale approach.
  • 2014–2016Impacts of floods and droughts on aquatic macrophytes, forests, and fisheries of central Amazonian river floodplains. US$ 20,000 (US$ 1.M total). Role: Co-I. PI: Leandro Castello, Virginia Tech.
  • 2014-2015UNESP Competitive Research Startup Grant. Environmental applications of low cost unmanned aerial vehicles.
  • 2010–2013São Paulo Research Foundation postdoctoral fellowship. Modeling of the spatial dynamics of macrophyte communities in the Amazon floodplain.

Research programmes

Research centres/groups

Research themes