Alastair is a Research Technician at the University of Exeter’s wildFIRE lab, and an Associate Lecturer in Environmental Science at the Open University.  After graduating with a BSc in Environmental Science (Wales, 2003) he worked in environmental management and education roles in the public and third sectors, before returning to study via an MSc in Global Environmental Change (Plymouth, 2010).  His PhD research at Exeter was on the analysis of sedimentary charcoals to produce fire histories, focusing on methods of quantification and analysis of morphology.  Before moving to his current role he returned to Exeter as a postdoctoral researcher, studying the use of charcoal reflectance as an indicator of fire severity, and calorimetric analysis of peat flammability.