Our Team

Elected 2021

Day job: CEO of Flexergy, a CleanTech startup developing systems for the ultra-efficient storage and distribution of green hydrogen

As part of his work at Flexergy Paul is currently investigating opportunities to decarbonise heavy freight transport on behalf of Transport Scotland. He is also retained by a small number of technology startups in the energy industry to advise on their commercialisation and internationalisation strategies.

Previously he founded an energy storage technology company, Cheesecake Energy, which it is believed holds the potential to become the world’s greenest energy storage system. He helped Cheesecake secure several million pounds of grant finance and private investment and laid the groundwork for the company’s first pilot deployments and commercial partnerships. He has 20+ years experience as project manager and business developer in energy storage, renewables development (onshore wind, solar thermal and PV), energy engineering and consulting, with a 6 year stint in local government where he managed a £20m project portfolio across 9 local authorities and their partners. With deep international business, and sustainability engineering expertise participating in projects often at the cutting edge of innovation.

Contact the TWIC Chair by email chair@wildlifeinformation.co.uk

Elected 2019. Re-elected 2021 & 2023

Day Job: Business operations at Texthouse, a Kelso-based copywriting and content marketing company.

Michael spent most of the last 25 years managing a local authority countryside visitor centre near Jedburgh, until leaving to join his partner’s business in 2019. The countryside centre also hosted the Scottish Borders Biological Records Centre and he played a key role in nurturing its development from 1996 until it became part of TWIC in 2007. The next twelve years continued the working relationship with TWIC through a series of SLAs focussed on biological recording activity in the Scottish Borders.

Michael has a science degree, a postgraduate qualification in countryside management and a more recent degree in business and enterprise. Practical conservation work parties and countryside rangering were a part of his working life until the mid-1990s when he returned to his home territory in the Borders.

He’s a committed wildlife recorder and feels privileged to meet so many wonderful and memorable individuals, both experts and enthusiasts, through excursions, meetings and training events.

Elected 2021

Day Job: Small holder

Maurice is from a farming background and has early experience in agricultural education and advisory work, as well as practical farming. He retired in March 2020 after holding a series of senior positions in membership organisations and charities. He was Director of the, then, Scottish Landowners Federation for 9 years before moving into the charity sector as chief executive of the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Society (RSABI) and then on to the Royal Society for the Support of Women in Scotland. In each he led significant changes to organisational structure, governance, policy direction, profile and operations, as well as financial management. From 1997 until 2005 he served on the Board of Governors of the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute (now The James Hutton Institute).

Now a smallholder with gardens, pasture and woodland he enjoys “harvesting sunlight” through extensive fruit and vegetable growing as well as solar energy and battery storage.

Elected 2014. Re-elected 2015, 2017, 2020 & 2022.

Day Job: Associate Professor of Ecology, Edinburgh Napier University

Rob was elected as a TWIC Director in 2014. In addition to this, he is Professor of Ecology & Biodiversity in the School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University and a member of the NatureScot Scientific Advisory Committee Expert Panel. Rob has diverse research interests particularly focused on aquatic ecosystems from rivers and ponds to coastal areas. He undertakes work involving a combination of field- and laboratory-based research in addition to making use of biological records from the UK and beyond in association with other data as the basis for spatial analysis using geographical information systems and spatial analysis.

Prior to moving to Edinburgh in 2003, Rob was based in Aberystwyth studying dispersal of adult aquatic insects from upland streams, following on from gaining a PhD from the University of Sheffield.

Elected 2017. Re-elected 2018, 2020 & 2022.

Day Job: Chartered Forester and Chartered Environmentalist, Director and Trustee

Wilma is an experienced director, having held senior positions in the Forestry Commission and now has a portfolio of board positions. As well as being a Director of TWIC, she is a Trustee of the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) and President of the Edinburgh Natural History Society. She is also a trustee for Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards and a board member of the Royal Scottish Forestry Society.

Alongside this broad environmental background, she brings considerable experience of corporate governance, strategy and change management. She has led the development of major computer systems and is now helping a number of groups develop their websites and improve the use of social media.

She has a particular focus on areas which support people improve their understanding and appreciation of their environment. She regularly leads excursions for the “Edinburgh Nats” and enjoys the exploring and discovery these field trips bring. Having become a runner 5 years ago, she has learned the value of being outdoors for improving health wellbeing and now leads a Jogscotland trail running group.

Co-opted 2024

Day Job: Senior Scientist and Head of Forest Genetics at Forest Research, an agency of the Forestry Commission

Joan holds a degree in Horticultural Botany from Reading University and a PhD in Plant Physiology from Edinburgh University.

At Forest Research, Joan’s research is mainly focused on genetic diversity, geneflow and adaptation in woodlands. She is particularly interested in understanding the role these play in determining the resilience of our forests to threats such as pests, diseases and climate change.  She is also experienced in working at the research/policy interface and in explaining the implications of her research to policy makers. She represents Forest Research in EUFORGEN (European Forest Genetic Resources Programme) and the DEFRA DNA Centre of Excellence.

Co-opted May 2024

Day job: Reader in Animal Behaviour at University of Chester

Alison gained her BSc in Biology & Psychology from University of Stirling and her PhD in Zoology from Bristol University, and has spent the last 30 years involved in teaching and research within Higher Education. As a behavioural ecologist, she has a keen interest in the behaviour and conservation of local wildlife and a desire to help enable others develop their skills.  Her main research focus has been on primate behaviour and human-wildlife conflict in Africa in collaboration with several international organisations. She has a wealth of experience in developing educational resources, preparing funding applications and disseminating research. Alison has served on several committees both within higher education and externally, in support of both national organisations and local communities.