Professor Peter Robins
Professor in Physical Oceanography

Affiliations
Contact info
Office location: Room 115, Marine Centre Wales, Menai Bridge
(Tel: 01248 383961)
Email: p.robins@bangor.ac.uk
Author profiles: Google Scholar | Researchgate
I'm a Professor in Physical Oceanography at the School of Ocean Sciences. I gained my Degree in Mathematics and Physical Oceanography (2003) and Ph.D on internal tides (2008) from Bangor University. I'm interested in a wide range of human and biological impacts of coastal dynamics and change, with applications to coastal hazards (coastal flooding, water quality degradation, pollution and public health risk), coastal morphology, marine population dynamics and connectivity, and marine renewable energy resource and impact studies.
My research generally involves developing hydrodynamic models that simulate coastal processes, such as realistic representations of the past, future climate change impact studies, or hypothetical scenarios such as simulating flood mitigation, the impact of tidal-stream turbines on sediment transport, or marine population spread via larval dispersal. I'm especially interested in estuaries because of the multiple complex estuarine processes that affect communities and wildlife - and as there is still much to discover, with current research focussing on improving our understanding of compound flooding and public exposure to water-borne pathogens. I enjoy working with a wide range of scientists across different disciplines, with climate modellers to ensure their projections are relevant for coastal impact, and with coastal policy makers so that our research has real world outcomes.
- Published
Tidal stream resource assessment uncertainty due to flow asymmetry and turbine yaw misalignment
Piano, M., Neill, S., Lewis, M., Robins, P., Hashemi, R., Davies, A., Ward, S. & Roberts, M., Dec 2017, In: Renewable Energy. p. 1363-1375Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Characterizing the tidal energy resource of the West Anglesey Demonstration Zone (UK), using TELEMAC-2D and field observations
Piano, M., Ward, S. L., Robins, P. E., Neill, S. P., Lewis, M. J., Davies, A. G., Powell, B. I., Owen, A. W. & Hashemi, R. M., 15 Oct 2015.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
- Published
The Influence of Intra-Array Wake Dynamics on Depth-Averaged Kinetic Tidal Turbine Energy Extraction Simulations
Piano, M., Robins, P., Davies, A. & Neill, S., 22 Oct 2018, In: Energies. 11, 10, 2852.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Hydrokinetic energy conversion: A global riverine perspective
Ridgill, M., Lewis, M., Robins, P., Patil, S. & Neill, S., Jul 2022, In: Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy. 14, 4, 044501.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Global riverine theoretical hydrokinetic resource assessment
Ridgill, M., Neill, S., Lewis, M., Robins, P. & Patil, S., 1 Aug 2021, In: Renewable Energy. 174, p. 654-665Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Impact of tidal-stream arrays in relation to the natural variability of sedimentary processes
Robins, P. E., Neill, S. P. & Lewis, M. J., 8 Aug 2014, In: Renewable Energy. 72, p. 311-321Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Physical and biological controls on larval dispersal and connectivity in a highly energetic shelf sea
Robins, P. E., Neill, S. P., Gimenez, L., Jenkins, S. R. & Malham, S. K., 1 Mar 2013, In: Limnology and Oceanography. 58, 2, p. 505-524Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Future variability of solute transport in a macrotidal estuary
Robins, P. E., Lewis, M. J., Simpson, J. H., Howlett, E. R. & Malham, S. K., 13 Oct 2014, In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 151, p. 88-99Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
A numerical study of marine larval dispersal in the presence of an axial convergent front
Robins, P., Neill, S. & Gimenez Noya, J., 20 Mar 2012, In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 100, p. 172-185Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
The potential impact of climate change on the infectious diseases of commercially important shellfish populations in the Irish Sea—a review
Robins, P. E., Malham, S., Rowley, A. F., Cross, M. E., Culloty, S. C., Lynch, S. A., Mackenzie, C. L., Morgan, E., O'Riordan, R. M., Robbins, P. E., Smith, A. L., Thrupp, T. J., Vogan, C. L., Wootton, E. C. & Malham, S. K., 1 May 2014, In: ICES Journal of Marine Science. 71, 4, p. 741-759Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Improving estuary models by reducing uncertainties associated with river flows
Robins, P., Lewis, M., Freer, J., Cooper, D., Skinner, C. & Coulthard, T., 31 Jul 2018, In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Characterising the spatial and temporal variability of the tidal-stream energy resource over the northwest European shelf seas
Robins, P. E., Neill, S. P., Lewis, M. J. & Ward, S. L., 1 Jun 2015, In: Applied Energy. 147, p. 510-522Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Predicting the dispersal of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from the wastewater treatment plant to the coast
Robins, P., Dickson, N., Kevill, J., Malham, S., Singer, A., Quilliam, R. & Jones, D. L., Sept 2022, In: Heliyon. 8, 9, E10547.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Impact of climate change on UK estuaries: A review of past trends and potential projections
Robins, P. E., Skov, M. W., Lewis, M. J., Gimenez, L., Davies, A. G., Malham, S. K., Neill, S. P., McDonald, J. E., Whitton, T. A., Jackson, S. E. & Jago, C. F., 17 Dec 2015, In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 169, p. 119-135Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
The internal tide of the Gareloch, a Scottish Fjord
Robins, P. & Elliott, A., 1 Jan 2009, In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 81, 1, p. 130-142Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Predicting the dispersal of wild Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg, 1793) from an existing frontier population—a numerical study
Robins, P., King, J., Jenkins, S. & Tita, A., 2017, In: Aquatic Invasions. 12, 2, p. 117-131Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Morphological controls in sandy estuaries: the influence of tidal flats and bathymetry on sediment transport.
Robins, P. E. & Davies, A. G., 1 Jun 2010, In: Ocean Dynamics. 60, 3, p. 503-517Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Compound flooding: Dependence at sub-daily scales between extreme storm surge and fluvial flow
Robins, P., Lewis, M., Elnahrawi, M., Lyddon, C., Dickson, N. & Coulthard, T., 16 Aug 2021, In: Frontiers. 7, 727294.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Viral dispersal in the coastal zone: A method to quantify water quality risk
Robins, P., Farkas, K., Jones, D. L., Cooper, D. & Malham, S., May 2019, In: Environment International. 126, p. 430-442Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Application of a coastal model to simulate present and future inundation and aid coastal management
Robins, P., Davies, A. & Jones, R., 1 Mar 2011, In: Journal of Coastal Conservation: Planning and Management. 15, 1, p. 1-14Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Changing Hydrology: A UK Perspective
Robins, P. & Lewis, M., 2019, Coasts and estuaries: The future. Wolanski, E., Day, J., Elliott, M. & Ramachandran, R. (eds.). Burlington: Elsevier, p. 611-617 6 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
- Published
Morphodynamic processes in shallow estuaries: influence of tidal flats and channels on sand transport.
Robins, P. E. & Davies, A. G., 1 Jan 2009, p. 161-167.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review
- Published
Research priorities for assessing potential impacts of emerging marine renewable energy technologies: Insights from developments in Wales (UK)
Roche, R., Walker-Springett, K., Robins, P., Jones, J., Veneruso, G., Whitton, T., Piano, M., Ward, S., Duce, C., Waggitt, J., Walker-Springett, G., Neill, S., Lewis, M. & King, J., 1 Dec 2016, In: Renewable Energy. 99, December, p. 1327-1341 15 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- E-pub ahead of print
Assessing hydrodynamic impacts of tidal range energy impoundments in UK coastal waters
Roome, E., Robins, P., Ahmadian, R., Austin, M., Hanousek, N., Guo, B. & Neill, S., 18 Oct 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Renewable Energy. 121601.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Simulating the dispersal of marine plastic during Super Typhoon Rai
Roome, E., Robins, P. & Neill, S., 9 Oct 2024.Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster
- Published
Simulating the dispersal of marine plastics during extreme events
Roome, E., Robins, P. & Neill, S., 26 Mar 2024.Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster
- Published
Settling and rising velocities of microplastics: Laboratory experiments and lattice Boltzmann modeling
Shen, X., Lin, M., Chong, H., Zhang, J., Li, X., Robins, P., Bi, Q., Zhu, Y., Zhang, Y. & Chen, Q., 15 Dec 2024, In: Environmental Pollution. 363, Pt 1, p. 125107 125107.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
The influence of tides on the North West European shelf winter residual circulation
Tinker, J., Polton, J., Robins, P., Lewis, M. & O'Neill, C., 12 Oct 2022, In: Frontiers in Marine Science. 9Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Medium-term variability of the UK's combined tidal energy resource for a net-zero carbon grid
Todeschini, G., Coles, D., Lewis, M., Popov, I., Angeloudis, A., Fairley, I., Johnson, F., Williams, A. J., Robins, P. & Masters, I., 1 Jan 2022, In: Energy. 238, 121990.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Genomic survey of edible cockle (Cerastoderma edule) in the Northeast Atlantic: a baseline for sustainable management of its wild resources.
Vera, M., Maroso, F., Wilmes, S.-B., Malham, S., Groves, E., Hermida, M., Blanco, A., Fernandez, C., Bouza, C., Martinez, P. & Robins, P., 24 Feb 2022, In: Evolutionary Applications. 15, 2, p. 262-285 24 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Heterogeneous microgeographic genetic structure of the common cockle (Cerastoderma edule) in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean: biogeographic barriers and environmental factors
Vera, M., Wilmes, S.-B., Maroso, F., Hermida, M., Blanco, A., Casanova, A., Iglesias, D., Cao, A., Culloty, S. C., Mahony, K., Orvain, F., Bouza, C., Robins, P., Malham, S., Lynch, S., Antonio, V. & Martínez, P., Oct 2023, In: Heredity. 131, 4, p. 292-305Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Regional-scale patterns in harbour porpoise occupancy of tidal stream environments
Waggitt, J., Dunn, H., Evans, P. G. H., Hiddink, J., Holmes, L. J., Keen, E., Murcott, B. D., Piano, M., Robins, P., Scott, B. E., Bond, J. & Veneruso, G., 1 Mar 2018, In: ICES Journal of Marine Science. p. 701-710Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Kelp detritus: Unutilized productivity or an unacknowledged trophic resource?
Walton, M., R, B., Griffiths, J., Cartwright, D., Robins, P., Malham, S. & Le Vay, L., 10 May 2022, In: Science of the Total Environment. 820, 153191.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Tidal stream resource characterisation in progressive versus standing wave systems
Ward, S., Robins, P., Lewis, M., Iglesias, G., Hashemi, M. R. & Neill, S., 15 Jun 2018, In: Applied Energy. 220, p. 274-285Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
The importance of resolving nearshore currents in coastal dispersal models
Ward, S., Robins, P., Owen, A., Demmer, J. & Jenkins, S., 1 Jun 2023, In: Ocean Modelling. 183, 102181.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Science to Policy: The role of marine renewable energy in a low carbon future
Wiik, E., Neill, S., Lewis, M., Robins, P., O'Doherty, T., Toberman, H., Pan, S., Ebdon, T., Masters, I. & Togneri, M., Mar 2019, Ser Cymru National Research Network for Low Carbon, Energy and Environment. (Science to Policy)Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report