Sea to Sky: leveraging AUVs and satellites to determine floating wind impacts on Celtic Sea key ecosystem drivers

Applications are invited for a 3.5 year PhD studentship with Marine Research Plymouth – a collaborative partnership between the University of Plymouth, the Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the Marine Biological Association. The studentship is due to start on 1^st October 2025.

This project is one of three topics available for the studentship. We anticipate supporting one position, which will be allocated to the best combination of candidate and project as they emerge from interviews across the pool of available topics. Browse all available topics.

Plymouth has been at the forefront of global marine research for more than a century, and today it is home to the largest concentration of marine researchers in the UK. Come and join our vibrant community of marine PhD students.

Project Description

The rapid expansion of floating offshore wind (FLOW) infrastructure into deeper, seasonally stratified shelf seas like the Celtic Sea could have profound consequences for ocean dynamics, such as stratification and mixing, through impacts on ocean fronts, and hence for key ecosystem drivers like phyto- and zooplankton, forage fish, and ultimately, top predators and fisheries. Ocean fronts form at the interface of tidally well-mixed and seasonally stratified waters, providing biological hotspots. Despite their recognized importance, frontal habitats remain poorly studied and FLOW impacts are virtually unknown, highlighting the imperative for innovative monitoring approaches.

This project will utilise autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), equipped with novel sensors, and high-resolution satellite remote sensing to understand FLOW interactions with ocean dynamics in the Celtic Sea. NERC’s Autosub Long-Range 1500 AUV will collect data on shelf-sea dynamics (stratification, currents, turbulence), biogeochemistry (oxygen, nutrients), phyto- and zooplankton diversity and abundance, and forage fish distribution. These measurements will be compared with satellite data on thermal and ocean colour fronts, providing insights into their location, timing, structure and persistence in relation to FLOW.

This project can be tailored to the student’s interests, focusing on either physical oceanographic or lower trophic ecological dynamics. Training includes processing of satellite remote sensing data for front detection and the extraction of physical and/or biological data from multi-week AUV missions. Key skills gained include interpreting and linking multiple AUV-derived data streams, such as: turbulence, mixing and stratification; plankton imaging and classification; fisheries acoustics; and biogeochemistry. These skills will prepare the student for a career in marine science or environmental monitoring.

Supervisors

• Lead Supervisor (DoS): Professor Alex Nimmo-Smith
• Second Supervisor (External Lead): Dr Lilian Lieber (also at UoP)
• Third Supervisor: Dr Peter Miller

Eligibility

Applicants should have a first or upper second class honours degree in an appropriate subject such as Oceanography, Environmental Science, or Computer Science, or should have a relevant Masters qualification. We seek motivated candidates with a strong interest in oceanography, data science or environmental monitoring. Ideal applicants will have:

• strong analytical skills and experience in programming languages such as Python, R, or MATLAB;
• experience with or a willingness to learn remote sensing techniques and data processing;
• the ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team;
• a proactive attitude towards learning and problem-solving.

We welcome and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds.

Non-native English speakers must have an IELTS Academic score of 6.5 or above (with no less than 5.5 in any element) or equivalent.

The studentship is supported for 3.5 years and includes full home tuition fees plus a stipend at the 2025/26 rate (to be confirmed; compare the 2024/25 UKRI rate of £19,237 per annum). The last 6 months of the four-year registration period is a self-funded ‘writing-up’ period. The studentship will only fully fund those applicants who are eligible for home fees with relevant qualifications. Applicants normally required to cover international fees will have to cover the difference between the home and the international tuition fee rates (to be confirmed; compare the 2024/25 rate of £13,244).

If you wish to discuss this project further informally, please contact Dr Lilian Lieber.

To apply for this position please visit the University of Plymouth Project webpage.

Please clearly state the name of the studentship that you are applying for on the top of your personal statement.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Monday 6^th January 2025.

Shortlisted candidates will be informed as soon as possible after the deadline, with interviews likely to take place in the second half of February. We regret that we may not be able to respond to all applications. Applicants who have not received a response within six weeks of the closing date should consider that their application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.