Ashfords Research and Training Bursary

• Jacob Baugh – marine and coastal conservation placement, NPC Nature's Valley Trust, South Africa
• Emily Healy – placement, White Shark Projects, South Africa
• Laura Whettingsteel – placement, Under the Wave, Zanzibar
• Bertrand Groves Webster – marine conservation internship, Global Reef, Thailand
• Cameron McCrea – RYA boat training course, SeaRegs, Plymouth
• Delphine Cabri – presentation at maritime design and technology conference, London
• Lotty Green – field expedition on coral reef health, Australia
• Zoë Henderson – turtle nesting placement, Travelteer, Sri Lanka
• Ruby Spry – dissertation data collection: anemone immune response to heat stress, Innoceana, Costa Rica

• Hope Evans – placement, SharkWise project, South Africa

"I completed a 3-month internship in Widenham, South Africa, helping to collect long-term data on the Aliwal Shoal shark populations and the reef that they inhabit. The project aims to use this data to inform local shark conservation laws. Most important for me was the chance to meet and connect with like-minded individuals from all over the world. I got the chance to network with professionals and received invaluable advice to forward my career in marine biology. I have also formed lasting friendships that I would’ve otherwise never been able to make." Hope Evans

• Sonia Evans – professional training courses (boat handling), RYA, Plymouth

"In addition to experience, there are various courses and qualifications that are required to achieve my long-term career goal of working for the British Antarctic Survey as the Boating Officer, supporting ocean research. The bursary has enabled me to complete some of these courses with the Royal Yachting Association and, now that I have graduated, I plan to complete the remaining qualifications required later this year. I am very grateful for the support in building my practical boating skillset, which has helped to set me up for a career in facilitating ocean research." Sonia Evans

• Deborah Rowland – Ocean Giants internship, Manta Caribe, Mexico

"I was based on Isla Mujeres in Mexico for 4 weeks to help learn more about the Caribbean Manta and mobulid rays and to understand how they are threatened, informing conservation efforts of these animals and their local habitat. I learnt a huge amount about the science and conservation of mantas, whale sharks, turtles and reef systems, what it takes to run an NGO, and gained many skills and experiences that I will treasure and go on to use in my future career as a marine biologist." Deborah Rowland

• Carly Davison – field expedition on coral conservation, Indonesia

"I joined a 2-week research expedition to North Sulawesi, Indonesia to gain practical experience in coral reef conservation. As part of the expedition, I participated in ecological surveys on coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove forests, contributing to a long-term dataset. This has supplemented my learning at university, putting theory into context. I trained in underwater field techniques, soft coral sampling and gained a deeper understanding of coral, fish and crinoid taxonomic identification, which has been extremely valuable to me and has opened up further research opportunities on crinoids." Carly Davison

• Ethan Horsley – final year research on algal toxins, Marine Biological Association, Plymouth

"I started an extended research project at the MBA investigating the effects of algal toxins on invertebrates. It focuses on a genus of harmful algae that produce a neurotoxin with environmental impacts, as well as human and animal neurological impacts. Marine invertebrates are also affected by it and might therefore be used to establish a low-cost and accessible model to test for harmful algae toxins, which would be of particular benefit in developing countries. This study also links into ongoing research on maintaining ecosystem health. I have already gained extremely useful research management and design skills, building on previous experience in marine molecular biology and clinical neuroscience." Ethan Horsley

• Aeden Cooper – malacology conference attendance, Natural History Museum, London