
Profiles
Dr Clare Embling
Associate Professor of Marine Ecology
School of Biological and Marine Sciences (Faculty of Science and Engineering)
- Marine renewable energy
- Marine conservation
- Habitat mapping
- Marine vertebrate ecology
- Biological oceanography
- Bioacoustics
Email publicrelations@plymouth.ac.uk to enquire.
Biography
Biography
I am an associate professor in marine ecology, and programme leader for the BSc Marine Biology and Oceanography. I teach a range of courses from statistics to biological oceanography and marine vertebrate ecology. My research is focused on the ecology and conservation of marine vertebrates (marine mammals, seabirds and fish), habitat modelling, bioacoustics, and human impacts on marine species (e.g. impacts of increasing noise in the sea).
Lead the Marine Vertebrates Research Unit and member of the Marine Conservation Research Group.
Qualifications
Professional membership
Roles on external bodies
Member of the Marine Autonomous & Robotic Systems - Working Group (MARS-WG)
Marine Mammal Advisor on the Programme Advisory Group for PrePARED (Predators and Prey Around Renewable Energy Developments)
Teaching
Teaching
Teaching interests
I am programme leader for the BSc Marine Biology and Oceanography, and I am module leader for:
- MBIO120 Introduction to Marine Biology (1st year)
- MBIO339 Ecology & Conservation of Marine Vertebrates (3rd year)
I also teach on the following modules:
- MBIO123 Marine Biology Field Course (1st Year)
- MBIO225 Methods in Marine Biology and Oceanography (2nd year)
- MBIO227 Biological Oceanography Field Course (2nd year)
- OS201 Global Ocean Processes (2nd year)
- MBIO341 Biological Oceanography (3rd year)
- OS304 Marine Ecosystems Conservation (3rd year)
I also supervise around 8 undergraduate student projects, and 2 masters student projects a year.
Current MRes/MSc students:
- Annabel Risdale (lead Natural England): 'Understanding Dorset's marine soundscape'
- Koan Hughes (lead Manta Trust): 'Temporal changes in zooplankton community structure in a manta ray hotspot'
Past MRes/MSc students:
Research
Research
Research interests
I am a marine ecologist and bioacoustician with several research interests:
Research groups
Other research
Working with Promare, IBM and RS-Aqua on the Mayflower Autonomous Ship project (https://mas400.com/). The MAS400 is equipped with a hydrophone and trained using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to automatically detect whale and dolphin vocalisations as it crosses the Atlantic. More information here.
Run visual-acoustic cetacean surveys along the SW Cornwall coast to investigate the abundance and distribution of cetaceans in coastal waters from the university yacht Take the Helm, collected data in summer months since 2017 (with a gap in 2020 due to COVID)
Grants & contracts
Publications
Publications
Key publications
Key publications are highlighted
JournalsPersonal
Personal
Other academic activities
- IBM Family Science Africa & America (to ~200 school children around the world) 'Transforming Ocean Research with AI', March & October 2022.
- Careers talk (Yr 10-13) 'Life as a marine biologist', Truro High School for Girls, June 2021.
- School talk (Reception-Yr6) 'Marine research in the Indian Ocean', Sir Robert Geffery's School, Landrake, February 2020.
- School activity (Yr1) 'Marine mammals and sounds of polar regions', Sir Robert Geffery's School, Landrake, March 2018.
- Technology showcase, Plymouth University (25-26th January 2018) - stand & activities: 'guess the marine sound'; 'CSI marine mamal skull'.
- National Marine Aquarium 'Sea the difference' event (1-16th April 2017) - stand & activities: 'guess the marine sound', 'CSI marine mammal skull', 'design a marine predator';
- School activity morning (Yr 12) 'Magic of marine sound', Devonport High School for Girls, May 2016.
- Pre-school activity morning: 'guess the marine sound'; CSI 'What is that skull?'; Pretend to be an echolocating porpoise game, Sir Robert Geffery Preschool, Landrake July 2015
- School activity (Reception): 'guess the marine sound'; CSI 'What is that skull?', Sir Robert Geffery School, Landrake, July 2015
- School activity day (Yr 6) including activities such as 'guess the marine sound'; 'guess the marine mammal' skull based activity; and 'what are seals eating' seal poo dissection. Bishop Cornish Primary School, Saltash 09/07/2014
- Panellist on the RSPB 'State of Nature' at Big Green Week, Bristol 19/06/2013
- Mentor for the University of Plymouth Women's network.
- Workshop 'strategies for success' at Women in STEM conference, Plymouth University, Feb 2015