Environmental Research Group
Who's Who in ERG? - Professor Martin Williams
Professor Martin Williams
Science Policy
Environmental Research Group
King's College London
Franklin-Wilkins Building
150 Stamford Street
London
SE1 9NH
Tel: 07765 203 627 / 020 7848 3844
Fax: 020 7848 4045
Email: martin.williams@kcl.ac.uk
Research Interests
My interests lie in the application of atmospheric science to policy on air quality, the relationship between air quality
and health, and on the linkages between air quality and climate change. I have a particular interest in the effectiveness of
air quality policies on urban and
regional air quality as evidenced by measurement. Recent studies on NOx trends are a good example.
Further interests include the establishment of more detailed relationships between air quality
and health in the UK as part of projects funded by the MRC at the MRC-HPA Centre at King's College.
Prior to joining Defra (see below) I carried out air quality impact assessments prior to developments at
three major UK airports – Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, and have maintained an interest in the impact of aviation on air quality.
I have a continuing interest in ozone as a pollutant and was the first to demonstrate the impact of stratospheric
air on ground level concentrations in the UK. I developed a simple,
fast but accurate model used in the daily government air quality forecast for ozone.
I was until recently head of the air quality programme in Defra responsible for air quality policy and research to inform it.
I currently chair the Executive Body of the UNECE Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution, and chair
the Modelling Review Steering Group for Defra.
I am lead author of policy section of the UNEP Assessment of Short Lived Climate Forcers.
Selected Publications
P S Monks, C Granier, S Fuzzi, A Stohl, M L Williams, et al, Atmospheric composition change-global and
regional air quality, Atmospheric Environment, 43, 5268-5350, 2009.
D C Carslaw, K Ropkins, D Laxen, S Moorcroft, B Marner and M L Williams, Near-field commercial aircraft contribution
to Nitrogen Oxides by engine, aircraft type,
and airline by individual plume sampling, Environ. Sci. Technol., 42, 1871-1876, 2008.
M L Williams, Air Quality Risk Management, J. Toxicology and Env. Health, 71(1), 9-12, 2008.
M L Williams, Air quality in 2050-synergies with climate change policies, Environ. Sci.Policy (2006), doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2006.11.001
M L Williams, Air pollution and policy 1952-2002, Science of the Total Environment, 334-335, 15-20, 2004
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