Anson Mackay

Emeritus Professor

Anson Mackay
Anson Mackay

Honorary Professor of Geography

UCL Department of Geography

Key achievements: Victoria Medal RGS (2023), Lifetime Achievement in Paleolimnology (2022)

Emeritus Professor of Environmental Change at UCL, with a distinguished career in palaeolimnology, climate research, and equality and diversity in higher education.

  1. ans.mackay@ucl.ac.uk
  2. Website
  3. ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6328-769X
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Professor Mackay retired from UCL in April 2022 due to ill health.

Biography

  • BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences (Botany), University of Edinburgh, 1984-1989
  • PhD University of Manchester, 1989-1992

  • 2023 - Present: Co-chair Oracle Voices, Oracle Cancer Trust
  • 2022 – Present: Professor emeritus in Environmental Change, UCL
  • 2019 - 2021: Faculty Vice-Dean Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, UCL
  • 2013 - 2016: Faculty Vice-Dean Research, UCL
  • 2013 - 2022: Professor in Environmental Change, UCL

  • Royal Geographical Society (with IGB) Victoria Medal for ‘transformative impact on the discipline of Geography’ (2023)
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, International Paleolimnology Association (2022)
  • The EDI Team Award for Inspirational Engagement, UCL Inclusion Awards (2022)
  • Sir Stephen Wall Award: Inspiring Role Model, UCL Inclusion Awards (2022)
  • UCL Student Choice Award for a Diverse & Inclusive Education (2020)
  • Faculty UCL Education Award (2019)
  • UCL Provost’s Education Award (2019)

Supervision

  • EWAN SHILLAND: What are the environmental and biological factors conditioning current and historic changes in the aquatic plant communities of upland waterbodies in the United Kingdom? (NERC London DTP Scholarship).
  • POPPY HARDING: Ecosystem resilience to abrupt climatic and environmental change in southern Siberia since the Last Glacial Maximum (NERC London DTP Scholarship). 10.14 - 11.18
  • RICHARD MAZEBEDI: Trophic characteristics of aquatic habitats with different flooding regimes in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. (Botswana Government Scholarship) 11.14 - 03.19
  • JENNIFER FITCHETT: Toward a multiproxy Holocene palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic reconstruction for Easter Lesotho. 2013 -2015
  • JENNIFER ADAMS: Climate change and pollution impacts on productivity and biodiversity in the Selenga River Delta: a Siberian, Ramsar wetland of international importance 09.13 - (co-supervision with Prof N.L. Rose and Dr G.E.A. Swann) 09.13 - 11.17
  • SARAH ROBERTS: Algal community response to recent anthropogenic pollution and environmental change at Lake Baikal, Russia, over the last 1,000 years (Primary supervisors Suzanne McGowan & George Swann, University of Nottingham). 09.12 - 09.17
  • LUCA MARAZZI: Biodiversity and biomass of algae in the Okavango Delta (Botswana), a subtropical flood-pulsed wetland. 09.08 - 11.14 (co-supervision with Dr V. Jones). (Examiners Marian Yallop & Carl Sayer).
  • CHARLOTTE HALL: Trace metal contamination in lakes and ponds in London. Funding body: Big Lottery Fund (via OPAL). 09.08 - 03.13 (co-supervision with Prof N.L. Rose). (Examiners Brian RIppey)
  • KATY WILSON: Pliocene climate variability recorded in a series of diatomite beds in the Tugen Hills region of the East African Rift Valley. Funding body: NERC. 09.07 - 09.10. (co-supervision with Prof M. Maslin). (Examiners: Phil Barker)
  • JULIANE WISCHNEWSKI: Reconstructing climate variability on the Tibetan Plateau – comparing aquatic and terrestrial signals. Funding body: DFG. Principal supervisor: Prof. Ulrike Herzschuh,  Alfred Wegener Institute, Potsdam. (Examiners: Viv Jones)
  • VIRGINIA PANIZZO: Reconstructing Late Holocene climate variability in North East China from varved, maar lake sediments. Funding body: NERC CASE Studentshp with NERC NIGL . Studentship Award No.: NER/S/A/200/14046. 25.09.06– 24.09.09. (co-supervision with Dr P Rioual and Prof MJ Leng) (Examiners: Sarah Metcalf
  • CHABUNGBAM SINGH: Hydroecology of Loktak Lake, NE India. Funding body: Ted Hollis Scholarship, UCL. (Primary supervisor: Dr Julian Thompson). (Examiners: )
  • PATRICK AUSTIN: Palaeoconductivity, lake level fluctuations and trace element history of the Aral Sea since 400 AD: assessing the impact of natural climatic variation and anthropogenic activity. Funding body: NERC. Studentship Award No.: NER/S/A/2002/10422. 01.10.02 – 30.09.05. (Examiners: Jane Reed & Scott Elias).
  • JOANNA THORPE: Records of late Quaternary climatic change from Tswaing crater lake, South Africa, and the Central Kenyan Rift. Funding body: NERC. Studentship. Award No.: NER/S/A/2002/10423. 23.09.02 – 22.09.05. (Examiners: Phil Barker & Alayne Street-Perrott).
  • DAVID MORLEY: Reconstructing Past Climate Variability in Continental Eurasia. Funding body: NERC CASE Studentship with NERC NIGL. Studentship Award No.: NER/S/A/2001/06430. 01.10.01 – 30.09.04. (Examiners: Phil Barker & Jane Reed).
  • MUSONDA MUMBA: Vegetation and hydrological changes in the Kafue Flats, Zambia before and after the Itezhi-tezhi Dam. Funding body: UCL Hollis Scholarship 24.09.01 – 30.09.04 (co-supervision with Dr J. Thompson) (Examiners: Dr Douglas Taylor & Prof. Edward Maltby).
  • GIRI KATTEL: Cladoceran zooplankton in European Mountain lakes: their role in reconstructing climate change. Funding body: ORS / Grad School / ECRC Trust Fund 01.10.00 – 30.09.03 (co-supervision with Prof R.W. Battarbee). (Examiners: Glen George & Sarah Metcalfe).

Postgraduate: MSc

  • Elizabeth Dymond (MSc Climate Change) A 2000-year record of environmental change in Lake Engarga, Southern Siberia: investigating diatom assemblage transitions in relation to climate change and anthropogenic impacts
  • Junbei Chen ((MSc Climate Change): Diatom responses to recent climate change in crater lake Tuofengling, NE China
  • Lingtao Wang (MSc Environmental Modelling): Applications of organic geochemistry for analysis in the sediment organic source variatoons in shallow lake ecosystems at the Selenga Delta
  • Gurmehr Marway (MSc Conservation): An assessment of the distribution of epiphytic orchids and their associations with environmental factors and host species in the lower Gori valley, Western Himalayas, India, for conservation and management
  • Scarlett Collier (MSc Conservation): Veganism: scientific fix or fashionable fad?
  • Katherine Bailey (MSc Conservation): How has the awareness, attitudes and behaviour of the public towards plastics changed?

  • Eftesum Eftesum (MSc Conservation) Reconstructing shallow lake ecosystem dynamics in SE Siberia using macrofossil analysis
  • Ibrahim Abdi (MSc Climate Change) Exploring UK perceptions to geoengineering as a method of tackling global warming
  • Martha Ledger (MSc Climate Change; Distinction) Abrupt climate change impacts on lacustrine carbon dynamics in southern Siberia: an investigation into Lake Baunt

  • Kathryn Lewis (MSc Conservation; Dissertation Distinction) How should zoos communicate conservation to young Adults? A day out at ZSL
  • 2014-2015
  • DARIA KUZNETSOVA (MSc Conservation; Dissertation Distinction) Temporal and spatial variations in ostracod communities in the Selenga Delta, Lake Baikal.
  • ROBERT MERRITT (MSc Climate Change) Towards estimating climate change impacts in select Pacific small island developing states (SIDS).
  • CORINNE CHAND (MSc Aquatic ScienceS) Diving and foraging behaviour of adult little terns, Sternula albifrons, at Blakeney Point in Norfolk.

  • ADAM SMITH (MSc Conservation; Dissertation distinction) A baseline study on the presence of agricultural pollutants in the Okavango Panhandle

  • LUKE NEWBY (MSc Conservation) A study into the effects of coppicing on woodland interior habitat and its recovery from these effects

  • HELEN JOURNEAUX (MSc Conservation) A study of possible environmental factors in the spread of invasive species of lowland heath and possible management and restoration techniques
  • MIRIAM MEANEY (MSc Quaternary Science) Reconstructing Holocene environmental change in central Asia, with special focus on diatom analysis from a remote, upland lake
  • LEIRE PAZ (MSc Conservation) Impact of Bti mosquito treatments on foraging and breeding success of house martins (Delichon urbicum) in the Camargue, France
  • ADAM SEARS (MSc Quaternary Science) Bulk organic geochemical and stable isotope environmental change since the Late Glacial from Shara Nur lake sediments, Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal

  • DANIELE LAINEZ (MSc Conservation; Dissertation distinction) Fifty years of crocodile surveys in Africa: a review of the surveys and population trends
  • ANDREW HARBY (MSc Conservation) An assessment of the Ballaugh Curragh wallaby population
  • HEATHER TWIZZLE (MSc Conservation; Distinction) A study of chalk grassland regeneration following scrub removal on the Devil’s Dyke Estate, Sussex
  • JULIA COULSON (MSc Conservation) The impacts of deer grazing on ancient oak woodland regeneration at Roudsea Woods and Mosses National Nature Reserve, Cumbria

  • SARAH COBAIN (MSc Quaternary Science; Dissertation distinction) A reconstruction of Holocene environmental changes at Lake Luanhaizi, Qilian Mountains, China
  • KATIE THOMSON (MSc Quaternary Science; Distinction) Earthquakes and associated land / sea-level changes in eastern Hokkaido, Northern Japan
  • GABRIEL GRIMSDITCH (MSc Conservation) An analysis Coral Cay data for a coral reef in Fiji

  • GEORGE SWANN (MSc Quaternary Science; Distinction) Climatic change in central Asia during marine isotope stage (MIS) 3
  • MEILIN YANG (MSc Quaternary Science) Late Holocene diatom-based reconstructions of environmental change in Bosten Lake, Southern Xinjiang, China
  • SIMON BRACEY (MSc Conservation) The geographical distribution, population abundance and global extinction risk in Neotropical primates
  • SUSIE MOLONY (MSc Conservation; Dissertation distinction) Primate persistence and extinction in tropical forest fragments
  • NICOLA MONSEY (MSc Conservation) Assessment of ground flora at Ham Street Wood and Longrope Wood (Orlestone Forest) in Kent
  • KAREN WHEELER (MSc Conservation) A study of temporal and spatial variation in ground flora within various plantation stands of different species at Orlestone Forest, Kent

  • PATRICK AUSTIN (MSc Quaternary Science; Distinction) Reconstructing early to mid Holocene environmental change from NW Iceland (Efstadalsvatn) using diatom analysis
  • KATE BLAZEBY (MSc Conservation) The potential influence of avian predators on breeding Lapwing and Redshank in lowland wet grassland at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire
  • LUIS CAYUELA (MSc Conservation) Habitat assessment for the Iberian wolf Canis lupus subsp. signatus in Picos de Europea, Spain
  • MABEL CHEUNG (MSc Conservation) Habitat associations of the Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella on the Culm Grasslands in north Devon
  • JOHANNA WILLI (MSc Conservation; Distinction) Ancient woodland in an agricultural landscape

  • EMILY WOODFIELD (MSc Conservation; Distinction) Jersey’s woodland bird communities: recommendations for management and monitoring
  • COLIN GODFREY (MSc Conservation) The green lizard (Lacerta bilineata) in Jersey

Publications

Explore Professor Mackay’s full list of research outputs via UCL Profiles.

View publications

Research

  • 2017: Abrupt hydrological variability during the Holocene at the forest – steppe ecotone. Funding body NERC. Reference: IP-1725-0517PI=Mackay; Co-I Melanie Leng & Svetlana Kostrova
  • 2017: Late Pleistocene records of palaeoproductivity in southern Siberia: Funding body NERC. Reference: IP-1678-1116. Amount £11,620. PI=Mackay; Co-I Melanie Leng
  • 2016-2017: The effects of differential dissolution on the δ18O composition of diatom silica. Funded by NERC. Reference IP-1584-1115. The project is in collaboration with Professor Melanie Leng, Dr Andi Smith and Dr George Swann. Amount £42,200.
  • 2012-2015 Silicon isotope records of recent environmental change and anthropogenic pollution from Lake Baikal, Siberia. Funding sourceNERC. Reference NE/J010227/1. Amount awarded £710,000. PI, Lead RO: George Swann; PIs: Matthew Horstwood.
  • 2009-2010 A diatom oxygen isotope record from Lake Baikal during MIS5e/5d: an application of XRF and FTIR to accurately account for persistent contaminants. Funding body: QRA. Co-investigator George Swann. Amount awarded: £500.
  • 2007-2010 Reconstructing Late Holocene climate variability in North East China from varved maar lake sediments. Funding body: NERC NIGL. Co-investigators Virginia Panizzo & Melanie Leng. Amount awarded: £13,300. Reference: IP/981/0507.
  • 2006-2010 Baikal Archaeology Project. Funding body: Major Collaborative Research Initiative (MCRI) program of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Principal Investigator: - Prof. Andrzej Weber, Anthropology, University of Alberta, Canada.
  • 2006-2007 A diatom reconstruction of the Les Echets Eemian sequence, France. Funding body: Postdoctorat Quadriennal, CNRS program, IMEP (UMR 6116 CDNRS, FST-U3). Principal Investigators: - Dr V. Andrieu-Ponel, CNRS; Dr Anson W Mackay, UCL; Dr P. Rioual, Department of Geology of the University of Beijing (China). Post-doctoral scientist: Dr DW Morley.
  • 2006-2007 Reconstructing climate variability in Inner Mongolia over the last 1000 years. Funding body: Chinese Academy of Sciences & UCL Simon Li Research Fund. Principal Investigators: Dr Luo Wang & Dr Anson W. Mackay.
  • 2003-2005 Reconstructing palaeoclimates during MIS 11 in central Asia using oxygen isotope analysis of diatom silica. Funding body: NERC NIGL. Co-investigators Eugene Karabanov & Melanie Leng. Amount awarded: £33,000. Reference: IP/740/0302.
  • 2003-2005 CLIMAN: Holocene climatic variability and evolution of human settlement in the Aral Sea Basin. With Hedi Oberhaensli + others. Funding body: INTAS. Total award: €120,000. Reference: INTAS Aral 30.
  • 2001-2004 CONTINENT: High-resolution continental paleoclimate record from Lake Baikal: a key site for Eurasian teleconnections to the North Atlantic Ocean and monsoonal system. With Oberhaensli (co-ordinator) + other co-investigators. Funding body: EU Framework 5. Amount awarded: c. €2,000,000. Reference: EVK2-CT-2000-0057.
  • 2001-2003 Biological, chemical and physical monitoring of Lake Baikal water column. Funding body: The Royal Society. Amount awarded c. £15,000.
  • 2001-2002 Climatic change in Central Asia during marine isotope stage 3: biogenic silica analysis . Funding body: NERC ICP-AES Centre. Co-investigator: George Swann. Award No.: OSS/221/050. Amount £1,000.
  • 2000-2001 Reconstructing Late Glacial - Holocene climate change in Lake Baikal using oxygen isotope analysis of endemic lacustrine diatoms. Funding body: NERC NIGL. Amount awarded: £32,000. Reference: IP/635/0300.
  • 1996-1999 The deposition and accumulation of endemic planktonic diatoms in the sediments of Lake Baikal and an evaluation of their potential role in climate reconstruction during the Holocene. Funding source NERC. Reference GR3/10529. Amount awarded £121,404. PIs: Prof. R.W. Battarbee & Dr. R.J. Flower.

  • 2021-2023: Exploring the use of stable isotopes to link water security in Lesotho to regional climate patterns: Funding via UCL Global Engagement Wits University Strategic Partner Funds. Project in collaboration with Dr Jennifer Fitchett (University Witwatersrand) and Professor Jonathan Holmes (UCL)
  • 2020: Shining a light into the dark caves of Botswana: Investigating their invertebrate biodiversity, ecosystem functions and their potential as sources of bioactive compounds. Funding: Botswana International University Of Science and Technology Initiation Grant to Dr Richard Mazebedi. PI=Mazebedi; CoIs: Dr David Nkwe (BUIST), Dr Thomas Hesselberg (Oxford), Prof Anson Mackay (UCL)
  • 2019: Educational collaboration between UCL and the Botswana International University for Science & Technology. Funding: UCL Global Engagement: UCL in Africa and in the Middle East Teaching Fund Initiative. PI=Mackay; co-I Dr Richard Mazebedi
  • 2009-2010 Investigating Pliocene palaeoclimates in East Africa using oxygen isotopes from biogenic silica. Funding body: NERC NIGL. Co-investigator: Mark Maslin, Katie Wilson, Melanie Leng. Ref: IP/1082/1108. Amount awarded: £6,700
  • 2006-2009 Monitoring and simulating threats to aquatic biodiversity in the Okavango Delta. Funding body: DEFRA DARWIN Programme. co-PI: Martin Todd. Amount awarded c. £188,000.
  • 2004-2005 Climatic change in tropical Africa during the last interglacial. Funding body: NERC NIGL. Co-investigator: Jo Thorpe, Martin Trauth, Melanie Leng. Ref: IP/816/05-04. Amount awarded: £20,000.
  • 2004-2005 Climatic change in southern Africa during the last interglacial: chronology development. Funding body: NERC NIGL. Co-investigator: Jo Thorpe and Open University Uranium-Series Facility. Amount awarded: £15,000. Ref: IP/793/1103.
  • 2004 Late Holocene changes in alpine vegetation of the Rwenzori Mountains: Short Term Visit grant to the UK for Visiting Scientist: Dr Immaculate Ssemmanda, Uganda. Funding body: The Royal Society. Amount £3,360. With Richard Taylor.
  • 2003-2004 Climate change threatens aquatic ecosystems of the Rwenzori Mountains, East Africa. Funding bodies: various, including Royal Geographical Society £7,500; QRA £360; Grad school & Dean's Fund: c. £2,500 . PI & Expedition leader: Richard Taylor. With Neil Rose, Ginnie Pannizo, Lucinda Mileham and Adinah Shackleton.

  • 2012 50 Pressing Questions in Palaeoecology. PIs: Alistair Seddon, Ambroise Baker, University of Oxford. Amount awarded: QRA £500; PAGES £3100; BES £2000; Oxford University £2000.
  • 2000 - 2005 Biological, chemical and physical monitoring of Lake Baikal water column. Funding bodies: Royal Society and Siberian Branch Russian Academy of Sciences. Amount awarded: c. £10k per year. With Nick Granin (Limnological Institute) and David Jewson.
  • 1998 Holocene Climate Reconstruction. With Rick Battarbee. Funding Source: EU Framework 4 for an 11 day Advanced Study Course. Amount awarded: €79,000. Reference: ENV4-CT97-4013. Course Dates: 15th June - 25th June, 1998. See Advanced textbook Global Change in the Holocene (2003).
  • 1992 Dating recent vegetation changes at the Forest of Bowland since the last 2000 yrs. Amount: £3,400. Funding body: NERC Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory

  • 1996 -1999 The deposition and accumulation of endemic planktonic diatoms in the sediments of Lake Baikal and an evaluation of their potential role in climate reconstruction during the Holocene. Funding body: NERC (GR3/10529). Amount: £120k. PIs: Rick Battarbee, Roger Flower, Mike Sturm, David Jewson.

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Anson Mackay
Anson Mackay

Honorary Professor of Geography

Click to email. ans.mackay@ucl.ac.uk