Dan is a passionate naturalist and environmental scientist interested in aquatic biodiversity and data-led conservation. His work focuses on applied ecological and environmental monitoring to support better management of anthropogenic impacts. In particular, to tackle issues such as pollution, over-abstraction, artificial river modifications and the spread of invasive non-native species. 

Dan earned his doctorate at Kings College London’s geography department, investigating ecological and physicochemical impacts of the Quagga mussel, a recently established invasive species in UK freshwaters. Funded by the London NERC Doctoral Training Programme and supervised by Dr. Michael Chadwick, this work involved a wide range of support from partners including the UK Environment Agency, Thames Estuary Partnership, Loughborough University and Zoological Society of London. 

Since completing his PhD, Dan has worked in environmental consultancy for Ricardo PLC and the UK Environment Agency as an ecologist. His most recent projects have involved working in partnership with the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and Lincoln University’s Dr. Catherine Sanders. Currently investigating novel methods to monitor/mitigate impacts of non-native ‘killer shrimp’ in The Broads, Dan is happiest waist-deep in water with a net in one hand and water chemistry probe in the other.

Mills, DN, Hallett C, Sanders CH, Rothney E (2026) Long-term reduction of invasive killer shrimp (Dikerogammarus villosus) density following removal of zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) shells and coarse substrate on UK lake beds. Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 7, e70290, doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.70290

Sanders CH, Buckley PL, Devereux Hunt C, Mathers KL, Mills DN (2024) Ponto-Caspian amphipod co-location with zebra mussel beds (Dreissena polymorpha) is influenced by substrate size and population source. Hydrobiologia, 851: 3507-3523

Sanders CH, Mason R, Mills D, Rice S (2022) Stabilisation of fluvial bed sediments by invasive quagga mussels. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 47(14): 3259-3275, doi: 10.1002/esp.5455

Sanders CH, Mills DN (2022) Predation preference of signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus: Dana) on native and invasive bivalve species. River Research & Applications, 38(8): 1469-1480, doi: 10.1002/rra.4023

Mills DN, Chadwick MA, Francis RA (2019) Artificial substrate experiments to investigate potential impacts of invasive quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis, Bivalvia: Dreissenidae) on macroinvertebrate communities in a UK river. Aquatic Invasions 14(2): 365-383

Mills DN, Chadwick MA, Francis RA (2017) Impact of invasive quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis, Bivalva: Dreissenidae) on the macroinvertebrate community structure of a UK river. Aquatic Invasions 12(4): 509-521