Rob is not only a practitioner; he is also interested in understanding the science of science communication. In particular, the tension of timescales (the urgency of policy-making, the time lag of implementation and the slow variables of environmental and social change), creating the policy/science interface, and the role of storytelling.

From September 2004 until April 2008, Rob was environment attaché at the United Kingdom Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels (the UK’s embassy to the institutions of the European Union). As the UK negotiator on EU environment policies, he led teams in multiple simultaneous negotiations covering topics from climate change to bathing water. He represented the UK in formal meetings of the European Council, to the European Parliament and with the media, NGOs and other stakeholders. In the second half of 2005, as part of the UK Presidency of the Council of Ministers, he chaired the environment working group.

Before moving to Brussels, Rob worked as an EU policy advisor in the Cabinet Office (the Prime Minister’s department). Rob joined SEI in 2008.

Rob holds undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of London. His mother tongue is English and he speaks French and Swedish fluently.