Dr Martin Daily

Profile

I am a post-doctoral researcher in Prof. Ben Murray’s Ice Nucleation group at ICAS, specialising in the sampling and experimental analysis of atmospheric ice-nucleating particles, and in the role of ice-nucleation in cryopreservation of biological material. I joined the group as a PhD student in 2017 after completing the MRes Climate and Atmospheric Science course at Leeds, before that having previously worked in geotechnical consultancy.

Research interests

I am currently working on the De-Risking Cirrus Modification project, part of the Exploring Climate Cooling programme, funded by the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA). This project, led by Imperial College London, with collaborators from University of Vienna and RIKEN (Japan), seeks to explore if the thinning of cirrus clouds as a result aircraft exhaust emissions could ever be safely and predictably used as a mechanism for climate cooling. I will first be investigating of the ice-nucleating ability of soot particles at cirrus conditions using our existing Portable Ice Nucleation Experiment (PINE) instrument at Leeds. The second phase of the project, scheduled for late 2027, will involve a flying campaign investigating the effect of regular aircraft exhaust particles on cirrus clouds, including measurements of background ice-nucleating particles using a newly developed, aircraft integrated PINE instrument.

Past completed projects:
- 2022-2024: Deep convective microphysics experiment (DCMEX) DCMEX – CloudSense. I led the sampling and analysis of ice-nucleating particles (INP) during the field campaign, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, utilising the filter sampling system on the UK’s atmospheric BAe-146 research aircraft (FAAM). My scientific goal for the project was to characterise the INP populations the in air being ingested into monsoon convective clouds in terms of concentration, variability and composition. This fed into the wider DCMEX goal of improving our understanding of microphysics and thus the radiative effects of convective clouds.
- 2024: CryoSpar (funded by an Impact Acceleration grant): This project aimed to create miniaturised, inert devices that improve cryopreservation of biological samples by easily integrating into sample containers and preventing uncontrolled ice-nucleation. I developed CryoSpar devices compatible with both cryovials and straws, containers routinely used in the low-temperature preservation of reproductive cells and tissues.
- 2025: PINEm (funded by an Impact Acceleration grant): This project aimed to develop and validate an inlet heater compatible with PINE instruments, enabling the detection of biological aerosol particles that act as ice-nucleating particles.

Qualifications

• PhD
• MRes Climate and Atmospheric Science (Uni. Leeds, 2017)
• MSc Geochemistry (Uni. Leeds, 2007)
• BSc Geology (Uni. Manchester, 2006)

Professional memberships

• The Aerosol Society
• Society for Cryobiology