David Copplestone

David Copplestone recently established his own consultancy after a career in academia and environmental regulation. Until recently, he was Professor of Environmental Radioactivity at the University of Stirling, UK. Following a BSc in Applied Biology from Imperial College London and a PhD in Environmental Radioactivity from the University of Liverpool, he spent ten years at Liverpool researching the fate and behaviour of radionuclides in the environment. He then led the Radioactive Substances Research Programme at the Environment Agency for England for six years before joining the University of Stirling in 2010.

David's work focuses on radiological risk assessment, particularly the protection of the environment, and on understanding how ecological systems respond and adapt to stress from ionising radiation and other environmental pressures. Between 2009 and 2021, he served on Committees 4 (Applications of the Commission's Recommendations) and 5 (Environmental Protection) of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). He currently co-chairs ICRP Task Group 105, which is developing guidance on integrating environmental considerations into the application of the system of radiological protection.