Pete has an interdisciplinary background, with degrees in physics, environmental and ecological sciences, and biology. His work in education encompasses contemporary issues in environmental science, pollution, freshwater ecosystems, and waste and resource management. He advocates strong emphasis on learning in context and connects education to management and positive action. In his research on aquatic ecosystems, he has worked variously on rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal seas, including aspects of chemistry, ecology, and approaches to and impacts of management. He has also explored how human society works with resources, particularly with regard to recycling and reuse, and how we can find ways to do more and better to avoid poor practice. He is currently Head of the Environmental Science group within the School of Geography and Environmental Science.