Postdoctoral Research Associate and Research Coordinator
Dr Lydia Niemi
Lydia is a Postdoctoral Research Associate and Research Coordinator in environmental science and One Health at the Environmental Research Institute. Her research focuses primarily on the environmental occurrence, fate and risks of emerging organic pollutants in freshwater, and more recently sustainable healthcare practices.
Her research interests include:
Pharmaceuticals in the environment – including occurrence, distribution and degradation in wastewaters and surface waters
Analytical chemistry and instrumental analysis – including novel monitoring methods, and quantitative and semi-quantitative high-resolution mass spectrometry
Wastewater treatment and water quality assessment
Drug utilisation research and environmental modelling
One Health – developing novel transdisciplinary approaches to reduce pollution, working with cross-sector stakeholders
Lydia has significant experience in cross-sector knowledge exchange and stakeholder engagement. Since completing her PhD, she has been coordinating and delivering activity investigating pharmaceutical pollution and sustainable healthcare practices with the One Health Breakthrough Partnership, working with researchers, government representatives and public agencies across the healthcare, water and environment sectors in Scotland.
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2021 – present: PDRA and Research Coordinator, ERI-UHI
2020 – 2021: Research Coordinator, ERI-UHI
2016 – 2020: PhD Environmental Science, ERI-UHI
2013 – 2014: MSc Environmental Analytical Chemistry (with distinction), University of Aberdeen
2009 – 2013: BA (cum laude), the College of Wooster
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2022 – 2023: UKRI Medical Research Council. Developing frameworks for eco-directed sustainable prescribing: Towards reducing environmental pollution from healthcare practices (MR/X011704/1). Co-I and Project Co-ordinator, with NHS Highland, University of Nottingham, the James Hutton Institute, Scottish Water, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and the University of Uppsala.
2021 – 2022: Highlands and Islands Airports Limited. Interrogation of BOD-TOC data and validity of relationship for on-site water quality monitoring. Co-I.
2020 – present: Scottish Government, Water Industry Division. One Health Hydro Nation project. Co-I and Co-ordinator, with NHS Highland, Scottish Water, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and the Centre of Expertise for Waters.
2019 – 2021: Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) One Health Network. Health, Polluted Waters and Soils. Scotland team co-ordinator.
2018 – 2020: Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW). Pharmaceuticals in the water environment: Baseline assessment and recommendations. Co-I.
2017 – 2018: NHS Highland and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Preliminary study to understand water quality and wastewater treatment cycle in relation to Caithness General Hospital. Co-I and Project Co-ordinator.
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Master’s students:
Thomas Thompson – Wick John O’Groats Airport surface water discharge quality with respect to de-icer use and biological oxygen demand (BOD) trends. ERI-UHI student.
Agathe Mery – Pharmaceuticals pollution in surface water. EPF Montpellier student, 6 month placement at ERI-UHI.
