International Marine Litter Research Unit team

Meet our team and collaborators

Current researchers

PhD students

Completed PhD students

  • Dr Imogen Napper, Funding self, Plastics in the marine environment. 2014 - 2018
  • Dr La Daana Kanhai, Funding EU Mares, Microplastic distribution and ecological interactions across latitudinal gradients, 2015-2018. Marine Scientist in the Caribbean.
  • Dr Stephanie Wright, Funding Defra, Physical effects of microplastics on marine life. 2011 - 2015. Research assiciate UCL
  • Dr Joao Frias, Funding FCT, Portugal. Microplastics in the environment.2011- 2015. Independent Scientist, Portugal.
  • Dr Nicolas Biber, Funding: Self. Distribution and effects on microplastics in the environment. 2009 – 2015 (part time). https://twitter.com/plasticDecay
  • Dr Saeed Sadri, PhD 2015 Monitoring microplastics in the marine environment. 2009 – 2014. Funding Defra. Now working at the Met Office in Exeter. https://uk.linkedin.com/in/saeeds/de 
  • Dr Kayleigh Wyles, PhD 2014 Rocky Shores: From habitat threat to marine awareness and restorative experiences. Funding NERC/ESRC. Associate Professor Lecturer in Psychology, University of Plymouth.
  • Dr Luke Holmes, PhD 2013, The role of plastic production pellets in the transport and availability of trace metals in the marine environment. Funding: University of Plymouth Studentship. Now post doctoral research fellow at the University of Plymouth.
  • Dr Mark Browne, PhD 2008, Environmental consequences of microscopic plastics in marine habitats, Funding: Leverhulme Trust. Now Senior Research Associate University of NEW South Wales, Australia.

Former research staff

  • Dr Maya Al-Sid-Cheikh - now lecturer in Analytical Chemistry University of Surrey.
  • Dr Ana Catarino - RealRiskNano project.
  • Dr Stephen Summers - working on the RealRiskNano project - Now at Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering.
  • Dr Anna Sanchez-Vidal - University of Barcelona.
  • Dr Bonny Hartley - worked on the Marlisco project Now a research fellow at the University of Greenwich.
  • Dr Adil Bakir - worked on ME 5416: Potential for microplastics to cause harm in the marine environment funded by Defra NOW at CEFAS. 
  • Dr Stewart Niven