ARIES DTP
Pollution in a Warming World: Emerging Contaminants and Heatwaves in Estuarine Ecosystems
Investigating how climate change and emerging pollutants interact to affect estuarine ecosystems, using ecotoxicology and molecular approaches.
PhD studentships
Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) works with a number of University partners to train tomorrow’s leaders in Environmental Science. These collaborations, known as Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs), offer postgraduate studentships and training across the full range of multidisciplinary environments, helping to enrich the student experience. Each DTP will create a strong and active community of students that are able – and encouraged – to integrate, work, and learn together. Students will receive in-depth, advanced research training, as well as training in the professional and transferable skills essential in today’s economy.
PML is a multidisciplinary, internationally renowned, strategic marine research centre. We have a number of prestigious and exciting opportunities for outstanding students wishing to conduct PhD projects in our Ocean Challenge Areas: Climate Change, Marine Pollution and Biodiversity Loss.
Current studentships
ARIES DTP
GW4+ DTP
Seagrass as a Natural Defence: Microbiomes, Pathogens and Coastal Water Quality
Exploring whether seagrass meadows can reduce harmful bacterial pathogens in coastal waters, and how these interactions respond to environmental change and pollution.
GW4+ DTP
Using next generation ocean observations and machine learning to transform mixed layer depth predictions
Using machine learning and high-resolution ocean observations to predict hourly changes in the ocean’s mixed layer depth, which governs ocean-atmosphere exchange and vertical mixing.
GW4+ DTP
Detecting Ecological Change in Intertidal Habitats Using Repeat Photography and Machine Learning
Testing whether repeat photography, citizen science and machine learning can reliably detect ecological change on rocky shores, validated against the 25-year MarClim time series.
GW4+ DTP
From plankton to people: Marine bioaerosols and human respiratory health
Investigating how plankton communities shape the composition of sea spray aerosols, and how those compounds affect human lung cells and coastal respiratory health.
GW4+ DTP
How do anthropogenic contaminants alter zooplankton-mediated biogeochemistry in a changing ocean?
Examining how contaminant mixtures, such as plastics and metals, combine with climate stressors to affect zooplankton and the carbon and nutrient cycling they drive.
GW4+ DTP
The Visible Ocean: Colour-Driven Feedbacks in a Coupled Regional Earth-System Model and the impact of heatwaves and storms
Extending a kilometre-scale regional prediction system to include phytoplankton ocean-colour feedbacks, and testing whether they improve forecasts of marine heatwaves and storms.
