Marine Research Plymouth Alliance PhD studentship
Bringing together research staff from across Plymouth, providing a springboard for collaborative research excellence and student prospects
Established in 2021, Marine Research Plymouth Alliance (MRP) is a shared vision to harness the expertise of the UK’s largest cluster of marine science researchers and cutting-edge facilities. It combines the internationally-renowned marine science capabilities of the Marine Biological Association (MBA), Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) and the University of Plymouth (UoP), building greater cohesion and cooperation across three leading institutions in pursuit of world-leading marine science for a sustainable future.
Marine Research Plymouth Alliance
Marine Biological Association
Plymouth Marine Laboratory
University of Plymouth
The PhD studentship
Led by the
Marine Institute
, Marine Research Plymouth Alliance offers an annual PhD studentship that brings together research staff from all three partners, harnessing the full range of expertise and facilities available within the partnership, providing a great springboard for collaborative research excellence and for student prospects in their onward career.
Full funding is made available for one studentship per annum, which will be supported for 3.5 years (followed by a self-funded “write-up” period). Funding includes full Home tuition fees plus an annual stipend that reflect the University rates per annum. International applicants will have to cover the difference between Home and International fee rates. Bench fees (to cover research costs) will also be funded up to a maximum limit. Note that the studentship is being offered subject to resource availability.
The following selection criteria will be used for project proposals:
- overall excellence and feasibility of the proposal and associated budget;
- track record and composition of the supervisory team (this must include at least one member from each of the three MRP partners);
- added value to the Marine Research Plymouth Alliance;
- quality of the scientific experience for the candidate.
Proposals that include a substantial external contribution towards the cost of the stipend will be considered preferentially. Funding will be allocated to the best candidate/project combination following interviews.
How to apply
The call for project proposals for 2026 is closed.
The next call is due between July–September 2026, for an October 2027 intake.
Staff
Proposals should be prepared using the dedicated proposal form, which is available for download here during an open call, and includes further information and full details of what is required.
Candidates
Available projects are typically advertised online for candidate applications between October–January and are published on our
postgraduate research studentships
page. Adverts will contain a link to the online application portal.
MRP PhD students
Amy Groundwater
Amy joined in October 2025 and is working on a project entitled "Understanding the response of marine ecosystems to ocean-based carbon dioxide removal". The project is focused around ocean carbon dioxide removal (oCDR) technologies and ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) in particular, where the addition of finely ground mineral rocks to seawater causes carbon dioxide to be drawn down. Although temporary, such mineral additions cause localised hotspots of low carbon dioxide, which impact on the photosynthesis and growth of marine phytoplankton and thus the wider ecosystem. Testing the resilience of various species to such conditions, will help to understand how, when and where oCDR technologies can be deployed.
She is supervised by: Dr Glen Wheeler (MBA), Dr George Littlejohn (UoP), and Professor Helen Findlay (PML).
Stephanie Day
Stephanie started in October 2024 and is working on a project entitled "How do Organic Nutrients Sustain Shelf Seas Productivity?". The project integrates field and laboratory methodologies to further examine organic nitrogen and phosphorus usage and coordination by phytoplankton in the Western English Channel. Marine phytoplankton play vital roles in regulating the global climate, contributing almost half of net primary production, but assemblages are majorly controlled by the availability of these crucial nutrients. The role of their organic forms in productivity remains poorly understood, even though they are readily available and can be assimilated by marine phytoplankton.
She is supervised by: Dr Katherine Helliwell (MBA), Professor Mark Fitzsimons (UoP), and Professor Andy Rees (PML).
Matilda Longstaff
Matilda also started in October 2024 (alt. funding) and is working on a project entitled “Sound of Sharks: assessing the spatial and temporal distribution of sharks in Plymouth Sound and surrounding waters to inform sustainable ecosystem management approaches”. Elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) play a key role in maintaining ecosystem structure and function, underpinning valuable recreational and commercial sectors, but they are threatened with extinction globally and population recovery potential is limited. The project aims to help stem their decline by improving monitoring, management, and conservation. Matilda is using a combination of acoustic telemetry (tagging and tracking), video surveys and remote sensing data to build a better understanding of elasmobranch distribution, movement and habitat use in Plymouth Sound and nearby waters.
She is supervised by: Dr Emma Sheehan (UoP), Professor David Sims (MBA), and Dr Peter Miller (PML).
Oliver Thomas
Between 2020–2025, Oliver successfully completed a project entitled “Intertidal seagrass meadows in Southwest England: the ecological and socio-economic benefits of restoration”, which utilised a range of multidisciplinary techniques to understand the nature and scale of the ecosystem services provided by intertidal seagrass meadows in Southwest England. He primarily investigated the organic carbon storage potential and associated benthic biodiversity of the meadows and also used remote-sensing techniques, including drones and satellites, to survey his study sites and to map changes in meadow extent and density over time.
He was supervised by: Professor Melanie Austen (UoP), Professor Martin Attrill (UoP), Dr Lauren Biermann (PML), and Dr Dan Smale (MBA).
Read more about our student experience
Oliver Thomas
Could you share a bit about your background and how you came to do a PhD in Plymouth?
I come from a background in marine biology, having completed my undergraduate degree at Bangor University and my Master’s at Heriot-Watt University. I subsequently worked as a scientific fisheries observer for the Falkland Islands Government, and then for the Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority as an Environment Officer.
I had known for a while that I wanted to pursue a PhD—it was just a matter of finding the right project. I came across this opportunity online and ended up chatting with my Director of Studies, Professor Melanie Austen, at a PhD open day. Mel’s passion for the project, its multidisciplinary nature, and the location in Plymouth and the Southwest were all major draws that ultimately led me to apply.
Could you tell us more about the project?
My PhD is titled “Intertidal seagrass meadows in Southwest England: the ecological and socio-economic benefits of restoration” and I used a range of multidisciplinary techniques to understand the nature and scale of the ecosystem services provided by intertidal seagrass meadows in Southwest England.
I primarily investigated the organic carbon storage potential and associated benthic biodiversity of the meadows. I also used earth observation techniques—including drones and satellites—to survey my study sites and map changes in meadow extent and density over time.
I successfully defended my thesis this spring [2025, red.].
What are your major findings and what significance could they have?
I found that intertidal seagrass and intertidal bare sediment contain similar levels of organic carbon, with high variability observed both spatially and over time. The meadows were also biologically diverse, though not more so than bare sediment habitats. A particularly striking finding was that intertidal seagrass meadows colonised 25 hectares of bare mudflat unaided over the span of a decade—just across from Britain’s biggest naval base.
This has important implications for our understanding of estuarine muddy habitats, highlighting their value regardless of vegetation, as well as the remarkable ability of seagrass to colonise new areas when conditions are optimal.
What has been your experience of studying a marine topic in Plymouth and how do you feel about Plymouth as a place to live?
I have had a brilliant experience living and studying in Plymouth. The Marine Research Plymouth (MRP) collaboration has been an incredible source of support throughout my PhD. It enabled me to access the full breadth and wealth of expertise, resources, and facilities across the city’s scientific institutions.
Britain’s Ocean City is hard to beat! I loved living in a place so connected to the sea and marine biology, and I found its strong sense of community to be one of its greatest strengths.
What are your plans and ambitions now that you’ve finished the project?
Towards the end of my PhD, during my unfunded write-up period, I secured a role at Project Seagrass as a Senior Scientific Officer. I now lead the North Wales Seagrass Ocean Rescue restoration project, which aims to restore 10 hectares of seagrass by 2026. Balancing the completion of my PhD with this new role was challenging, but I’m glad to say it has paid off.
I intend to maintain strong links with Plymouth through my current role and by publishing the chapters from my PhD research.
SERVO PhD studentships
If you're interested in the Marine Research Plymouth Alliance PhD studentship, you may also be interested to learn more about the SERVO PhD studentships.
These studentships deliver progress on key global challenges related to marine sustainability through innovative, solutions-focused and high impact research.
Find out more about the
Solutions for the Marine Environment (SERVO) PhD studentships
.
