Tristan Smith

Assistant Professor, University College of London Energy Institute, Director - UMAS Email:

Tristan leads a research group of 5 Research Associates and 8 PhD students focused on studying the global shipping industry. Together we combine expertise across engineering, economics, programming and optimisation, operations research, policy, business and finance.

My personal background is degrees in engineering and a specialisation and training in naval architecture. I worked as a practising naval architect on a number of defence research, design and upkeep projects (ships and submarines), before returning to university to undertake a PhD in naval architecture. Three years ago, I changed role to apply my knowledge of the marine environment and shipping, and skills in modelling, problem solving and team working to study the subject of the CO2 emissions of the shipping industry.

I attend IMO MEPC and associated meetings as a delegate of RINA and IMarEST. On the subject of shipping efficiency and emissions, I am a contributing author to work published at the IMO, at UNEP, in the UK Committee on Climate Change and a number of academic books and papers, and have carried out consultancy work for a number of organisations including Shell and the IEA.