CIEEM and the Marine Biological Association - how can you use your membership to learn about marine careers?

Dr Clare Ostle

CPR Research Fellow, Coordinator Pacific CPR Survey

I am a marine biogeochemist and the co-ordinator of the Pacific Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey.

My research covers a range of topics from the marine carbonate system to ocean plastics. I have worked closely with the CPR dataset since my undergraduate project at Swansea University where I analysed changes in copepod abundance and distribution across the North Atlantic.

My PhD was based at the University of East Anglia where I investigated how the activity and abundance of plankton may influence the variability of carbon dioxide flux in the North Atlantic. This work led to the development of a method for estimating Net Community Production (NCP) using volunteer ships of opportunity and oxygen optodes and piqued my interest in instrument development and sampling enhancements for the CPR. I have been involved in numerous syntheses reports and working groups, covering topics such as the operationalization of ecological indicators for European marine policy, ocean warming, and ocean acidification.

I am an active member in the UK Pelagic Habitat Expert Group, the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON), Gulf Watch Alaska and The North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES).

Maya Plass Mem.MBA, HonFBNA

Head of Engagement

I lead a team who are responsible for establishing the Marine Biological Association as the primary voice of the marine biological community. My ambition is to increase the MBA’s visibility through strengthening our brand, increasing media outputs and targeted marketing in support of our strategic goals.

I have always been passionate about the ocean both in my free time and professionally. After my studies in marine sciences, my career started by reviewing coastal tourism of Peninsula Valdes, Argentina followed by working on a European water catchment project for Devon County Council. I went on to establish my own venture “Learn To Sea” in 2008 which evolved to my becoming an author, media broadcaster and an independent voice for our marine environment. My passion for communicating the importance of life in the ocean and its vital role to society led to my role as patron of marine charities. 

I am excited to apply my experience and skills to my role at the Marine Biological Association (which I have been a proud member of for over 20 years). I have had the privilege of leading on the development of our new website and rebrand of the MBA in 2022.

Stephanie Day MSCi

PhD Student

I am a PhD researcher specialising in how organic nutrients sustain shelf sea productivity. My research aims to characterise dissolved organic nutrient pools and examine how these are used by coastal phytoplankton communities.

To investigate my research aims, I will collect and analyse field samples using analytical chemistry techniques and microbiological experiments. These methods will contribute towards unravelling the interactions between organic nutrients and phytoplankton in the Western English Channel coastal environment. My PhD is funded by the Marine Research Plymouth partnership and co-supervised by Dr Katherine Helliwell (MBA), Professor Mark Fitzsimons (University of Plymouth) and Dr Andy Rees (Plymouth Marine Laboratory).During my MSci Environmental Science at the University of East Anglia, I researched how additions of inorganic nutrients to coastal water samples influenced chlorophyll concentration. My atmospheric chemistry internship, master’s year studying at the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Science at the University of Tasmania and recent BIO-CARBON research expedition have nurtured my desire to pursue a marine science research career. I am looking forward to exploring all that Plymouth has to offer.