She has a diverse range of research interests from climate and environmental change in the polar oceans to climate change impacts on children worldwide.

Sian is active in the science-policy space with a focus on the interactions between climate change, Earth’s environments – primarily, yet not limited to, the oceans – and sustainable development.

Sian serves as Co-Chair of the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS), a Task Force Member for the Southern Ocean component of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, and a Science Theme Leader within the Scottish Alliance for Geoscience, Environment and Society (SAGES).