Robert's background lies in quantitative aquatic ecology. He received a BSc in Biology (Illinois Wesleyan University) and an MSc in Marine Biology (University of Maine - Orono). His interests in benthic ecology and biological-physical interactions led him to the field of fluvial geomorphology and a PhD investigating fine sediment transport processes in vegetated chalk streams (Queen Mary, University of London). Prior to joining Cranfield, Robert was a Research Fellow on the EU-funded project REFORM (REstoring rivers FOR effective catchment Management), where he helped develop an open-ended, pan-European framework to assess and monitor river hydromophology in line with the Water Framework Directive.