Molly Spooner Studentship
Aims and Scope
The Molly Spooner Studentship enables University students in undergraduate studies to experience marine biological research at the Marine Biological Association, usually during a 6-8 week period during the summer months.
The Spooner Studentship supports undergraduate students wishing to conduct a short term reserach project at the MBA under the guidance of an MBA Research Fellow. Projects should be co-developed with the MBA Research Fellow. To view research areas, please visit this page. Our Research Fellows are also found on the staff pages - click the Research Fellows link.
The award provides the opportunity to collaborate with world-leading expert marine scientists based at the Marine Biological Association, as well as accessing our research facilities (e.g. research aquarium), resources (e.g. long-term marine biodiversity datasets) and diverse range of local ecosystems (e.g. kelp forests).
The Marine Biological Association is committed to promoting and improving equality, diversity and inclusion in the marine biology community. We welcome applications from all individuals.
Background
Mary Florence "Molly" Spooner (nee Mare) was a British marine biologist and an internationally recognized expert on oil spills. Her study of the marine food cycle in sea mud led her to introduce the new term meiobenthos to join the terminology of macrobenthos and microbenthos. This has allowed improved understanding of marine organisms involved in these cycles through clearer reference to groupings by size and is continually referenced by other marine biologists into the 21st century.
Dr Molly Spooner trained as a botanist at Newnham College Cambridge, and in 1938 conducted research on the micro-organisms in the surface layer of the sea for her PhD at the Marine Biological Association. It was here, whilst studying Upogebia (a type of mud shrimp) that she also met her husband - MBA zoologist Malcolm Spooner whom she married in 1943. Molly then concentrated on bringing up their two children, together with some sixth form teaching.
Dr Spooner returned to the MBA in 1967 to help study the effects of the Torrey Canyon oil spill. D.P. Wilson, a naturalist at the MBA, used the larvae of Sabellaria spinulosa – a species of marine polychaete worm commonly known as the Ross worm – to assess the long-term effects of low concentrations of chemicals used in the clean-up.
Molly was the first to realise that these chemicals caused more damage than the oil itself. Her experimental work on oil pollution had a profound effect on the way oil spills are managed and cleared.
Molly made a substantial contribution to the book, Torrey Canyon Pollution and Marine Life, published in 1970. She then went on to conduct more research and give international advice on oil spills. In 1973 she was appointed as advisor on all pollution precautions and procedures to the Department of Environment. She was awarded an MBE in 1977 for her work in oil pollution.
Dr Spooner's Legacy
Her work will certainly have contributed to the cleanup methods employed in the area around the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010. Molly died in 1997 and bequeathed a sum of money to the MBA to encourage enterprising students to experience marine biological research at the MBA. Molly's bequest to the MBA was to encourage undergraduate students to experience marine biological research every year.
Duration and Start of Award
The awardee would be expected to work at the Marine Biological Association for a period of 6-8 weeks. The award must start and finish in 2026.
Finance
Applications for up to £520 per week for six weeks, or £390 per week for eight weeks. The Studentship sum is not taxable.
Eligibility
Applicants must be a Student Member of the Marine Biological Association at the time of application. If there are any barriers to joining as a Member, please contact the membership team for guidance: membership@mba.ac.uk
Equal Opportunities
We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates and seek talented people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
Visa
The award can include the costs of obtaining any necessary visa. However, the onus is on the successful candidate(s) to check their visa requirements for the UK and apply accordingly and with good time. MBA will provide any supporting documentation required related to the programme. Details for checking visa requirements can be found at: Check if you need a UK visa - GOV.UK
Application Timeline and Process
Applications open on 01 November 2025.
Application deadline is 1200 midday (BST) Thursday 15th January 2026. Notifications of outcomes will be mid-February 2026.
Once you have submitted your application you will receive an automatic confirmation email. If you do not receive this shortly after submission please contact the Membership team.