Marine Research Plymouth Alliance PhD studentship

Bringing together research staff from across Marine Research Plymouth Alliance, providing a springboard for collaborative research excellence and student prospects
Close up view of plants on Cornish cliff, with view of sea and blue skies in background
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.
 

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 2025 is closed.

The next call is due between July–September 2025, for an October 2026 intake.

Staff

Proposals should be prepared using the dedicated proposal form, which will be available for download here when the call opens, 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

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).
Stephanie Day on an oceanic research cruise
Matilda Longstaff diving with a shark

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

Having started in 2020, Oliver is working on a project entitled “Intertidal seagrass meadows in Southwest England: the ecological and socio-economic benefits of restoration”, which utilises 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 investigates the organic carbon storage potential and associated benthic biodiversity of the meadows and also uses remote-sensing techniques, including drones and satellites, to survey his study sites and to map changes in meadow extent and density over time.
He is supervised by: Professor Melanie Austen (UoP), Professor Martin Attrill (UoP), Dr Lauren Biermann (PML), and Dr Dan Smale (MBA).
Oliver Thomas working in an intertidal seagrass meadow
 

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.
Getty image 1183696033. Fishing net caught on coral reef underwater. Research Festival 2021. Engineering solutions for marine plastic pollution.