Dr Robert Simmons
Lecturer
Location: Building 53, Cranfield campus
E: r.w.simmons@cranfield.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1234 750111 x2761
Environmental Science and Technology
Current activities
Dr Robert Simmons’ current activities include research, teaching and consultancy, focussing on soil conservation and the processes of land degradation, especially soil erosion. Teaching includes the delivery of modules to long and short courses on Soil Erosion Conservation and Bioengineering, Watershed Management for Soil Conservation, Land Improvement Engineering, Managing Water for Agriculture, and Pollution Prevention and Remediation Technologies. Dr Simmons' research and consultancy experience has included the use of polyacrilamide-based soil conditioners to mitigate soil sealing, soil erosion risk assessment in Mindanao, Philippines, modelling the off-site impacts of contaminated eroded sediments on irrigated paddy production systems in Thailand, assessment and mitigation of diffuse pollution in South and Southeast Asia (India, Pakistan and Vietnam) and soil erosion risk assessment in Herefordshire. Field experience includes the monitoring of soil erosion, using experimental plots and rainfall simulation, and the environmental and potential health impacts of eroded contaminated sediment and marginal quality waters - both on-site and off-site. Dr Simmons is currently the Course Director for the Land Reclamation and Restoration option of the Land Management postgraduate programme.Clients
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- German, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
- International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
- Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGIS)
- Natural England
- Royal Thai Government
- United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)
- International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
Background
Dr Robert Simmons has over 15 years experience in the fields of soil erosion and conservation, the assessment and mitigation of diffuse pollution in agricultural systems, phyto-remediation and modelling soil-plant interactions in contaminated systems. He undertook his Masters course in Soil Erosion and Conservation, followed by a PhD investigating the Effect of polyacrilamide-based soil conditioners on structural sealing from a sub-process level. This was followed by 10 years practical experience of natural resources management working in countries throughout South and Southeast Asia namely, Thailand, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Cambodia, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Pakistan. Of these 10 years overseas, seven were spent at the International Water Management Institute co-ordinating national and regional projects with a range of partners including government organizations, international bodies such as WHO and FAO, other CGIAR Centres including ICRISAT and ILRI, regional bodies such as MRC and UNESCAP as well as NGOs, CBOs, Private Enterprises and agricultural communities. Dr Simmons has published his research interests extensively in journals, books, articles and through national newspapers and TV documentaries.
