Dr Alan Howard

Research Overview
• 1990 – 1993 Modelling the movement and growth of freshwater cyanobacterial blooms. PhD conducted at the University of Leeds.  Examiners: Professors David Kay and Colin Reynolds. Passed without correction.
• 1993 onwards Development of theoretical computer simulations of cyanobacterial population and movement dynamics in freshwater environments.
• 1995 Analysis of metal loads discharge to the Humber catchment (with PG Whitehead). Powergen.
• 1996 Artificial neural network modelling of algal populations in the River Thames. NERC Connect A (Dr Arulmani Chinaswamy, PG Whitehead & Water Research Centre).
• 1998 onwards Web based techniques for delivery of scientific models (Java & ASP programming).

• 2000 onwards. Historical water quality analysis. Supported by NERC/ESRC studentship. In collaboration with Professor C Neale CEH, Wallingford.
• 2004 onwards. Modelling cyanobacteria in rivers with Basak Guven.

• 2009 onwards. Endocrine disruptors in aquatic environments. Health and environmental factors; modelling and assessment.

Selected PhD Students

• 1995 – 1998 Mark Easthope. Modelling cyanobacteria blooms. PhD awarded.
• 1997 – Peter Toms. Water Quality Modelling & The Internet. Supported by Thames Water.
• 1999 – 2003. Parthipan Krishnan. Internet & Geography. PhD awarded.
• 2000 – 2003 Lucy Burton. Historical Water Pollution in the Mersey Basin (with Colin Neal, CEH, Wallingford) funded by ESRC/NERC. Completed.

• 2004 – 2007 Basak Guven. Modelling cyanobacteria in rivers. Completed.
• 2009 – Balarabe Getso . Endocrine disruptors in aquatic systems.

Selected Publications:

• 1992 Howard, A. MIGS – a simple graphics utility program, Computer Applications in the Biosciences, 8, 605.
• 1993 Howard, A. SCUM – simulation of cyanobacterial underwater movement, Computer Applications in the Biosciences, 9, 413-419.
• 1994 Howard, A. Problem cyanobacterial blooms – explanation and simulation modelling, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 19, 213-224.
• 1995 Howard, A. Kirkby, M.J., Kneale, P.E. & McDonald, A.T. Modelling the growth of cyanobacteria (GrowSCUM), Hydrological Processes, 9, 809-820.
• 1995 Howard, A. A new simulation of cyanobacterial underwater movement. 10th State of the Art of Ecological Modelling Conference. Beijing. China.
• 1996 Howard, A. McDonald, A.T. Kneale, P.E. & Whitehead, P.G. Cyanobacterial (blue-green algal) blooms in the UK: A review of the current situation and potential management options, Progress in Physical Geography, 20, 63-81.
• 1996 Howard, A. Irish, A.E. & Reynolds, C.S. SCUM ’96: A new simulation of cyanobacterial underwater movement, Journal of Plankton Research, 18, 1375-1385.
• 1997 Howard, A. Algal Modelling: Processes & Management. Editorial Preface. Hydrobiologia, 349:vii-ix.
• 1997 Howard, A. Computer simulation modelling of buoyancy change in Microcystis, Hydrobiologia, 349: 111-117.
• 1997 Whitehead, P.G. Howard, A. & Arulmani, C. Modelling algal growth and transport in rivers: a comparison of time series analysis, dynamic mass balance, and neural network techniques, Hydrobiologia, 347: 39-46.
• 1997 Kneale, P.E. & Howard, A. Statistical analysis of algal and water quality data, Hydrobiologia, 347: 59-63.
• 1998 Howard, A. Toxic cyanobacterial blooms, in Rose, J. (ed) Environmental Toxicology: Current Developments, Volume 7, 345-357. Gordon & Breach Science Publishers.
• 1998 Howard, A. Cyanobacteria (Blue-green algae), in Herschy, R.G. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Hydrology and Water Resources, Chapman & Hall, 147-149.

·    1998 Howard, A. A web based simulation of vertical migration in cyanobacteria. 4th International Conference on Toxic Cyanobacteria, Beaufort, NC, USA.
·    Howard, A (1998) ed. Algal Modelling: Processes and Management (Developments in Hydrobiology) (Hardcover). Kluwer Academic Publishers. ISBN-13: 978-0792347446.
• 1999 Easthope, M.P. & Howard, A.Modelling algal dynamics in a lowland impoundment, Science of the Total Environment. 241, 17-25.
• 1999 Howard, A. (ed) Algal Modelling: Processes & Management, Hydrobiologia, 414.
• 1999 Easthope, M.P. & Howard, A. Implementation and sensitivity analysis of a model of cyanobacterial movement and growth, Hydrobiologia, 414, 53-58.
• 1999 Howard, A. Algal Modelling: Processes and Management: An Introduction, Hydrobiologia, 414, 35-37
• 2001 Howard, A. Modelling movement patterns of the cyanobacterium, Microcystis, Ecological Applications: the journal of the Ecological Society of America, 11, 304-310.
• 2001 Burton, L. R. & Howard, A. Water Quality Functioning of the Mersey Basin, England: Historic Perspectives. MODSIM 2001 International Congress on Modelling and Simulation: Integrating Models for Natural Resources Management across Disciplines, Issues and Scales. Adelaide, Australia.
• 2002 Howard, A. & Easthope, M.P. Application of a model to predict cyanobacterial growth patterns in response to climatic change at Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire, UK, The Science of the Total Environment, 282-283, 459-469.
• 2003 Burton, L.R. Howard, A. & Goodall, B. Construction of a historical Water Pollution Index for the Mersey Basin, Area, 35:4.
• 2003 Guven, B. & Howard, A. Classification of algal modelling strategies. 4th International Symposium on Photosynthetic Prokaryotes. Tokyo, Japan.

• 2006 Guven, B. and Howard, A. A review and classification of the existing models of cyanobacteria Progress in Physical Geography, 30, 1-24. • 2007
• 2006 Guven, B. and Howard, A. Modelling the growth and movement of cyanobacteria in river systems Science of the Total Environment, 368, 898-908.

• 2007 Howard, A. The Don McLean Story: Killing us Softly with his Songs Starry Night Music, Inc.

• 2007 Guven, B. and Howard, A. Identifying the critical parameters of a cyanobacterial growth and movement model by using generalised sensitivity analysis Ecological Modelling, 207, 11-21.

• 2010 Getso, B. and Howard, A. A survey of male fish feminisation in the Rive Thames, UK.