Brian Morton Exchange Fund

 

Aims and Scope

The Brian Morton Exchange Fund enables early career researchers with less than 10 years post PhD experience to undertake one month's research visit at the Marine Biological Association.  

Early Career Researchers to include, post doctoral researchers in their first or second postdoctoral appointment; post-graduate students (PhD, MRes, or MSc); technical staff less than 10 years working in a technical role; and undertaking their research either at MBA’s Citadel Hill Laboratory or who are Members of the Marine Biological Association. 

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.

Bursary Application Research Focus

• The research fields covered in the exchange programme will be wide within the framework of ‘marine biology’ including marine history 
• Marine policy proposals must be focused on aquatic conservation, pollution and/or climate change
• Marine engineering and marine technology are NOT suitable as research areas

Background

Professor Brian Morton was the Founder and first director of the Swire Laboratory (later renamed as Swire Institute of Marine Science) in Hong Kong.  As a long-term Member of MBA, Brian was a passionate advocate of international collaboration on ocean conservation issues.

Brian’s research covered a wide range of topics in marine biology, especially the biology of molluscs and marine conservation. Before his retirement, Brian had published over 300 refereed scientific research/review papers, over 40 editorials, 19 books, 16 book chapters, and served as editor of 16 workshop/conference proceedings and 18 volumes of Asian Marine Biology (the first and only marine biological journal in Hong Kong, launched by him). His book “The Sea Shore Ecology of Hong Kong” is widely acknowledged as the key reference for marine biology in Hong Kong. His passion in marine biological research and dedication to marine conservation did not diminish in any way following his retirement. 

Upon his death, Brian left one million pound legacy gift to the MBA to establish and run the “The Brian Morton Marine Biological Exchange Fund’ which provides bursaries to support Early Career Researchers for international exchanges / visits.

Duration and Start of Award

On appointment, the Exchange Fund awardee would be expected to work at the Marine Biological Association for a period of up to 4 weeks. The award must start and finish in 2026.

Finance

Applications for up to £5,000.  Funds can cover research expenses (e.g. laboratory consumables, sample analysis, ship time) and travel and subsistence for the applicant. This scheme does not cover applicant salary or indirect costs.

Eligibility

Applicants must be a member of the Marine Biological Association at the time of application. Researcher with less than 10 years post PhD experience. Career breaks can be taken in to account. 

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

Application deadline is 1200 midday (BST) Monday 02 February 2026. Notifications of outcomes will be end-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.

 


Application Form

Please provide confirmation that you meet the eligibility criteria
(If there are any barriers to joining as a Member of the Marine Biological Association, please contact the Membership team for guidance)


Personal Details

Career Summary
Please list up to 10 of your most significant publications, presented in reverse chronological order. Include full details for each entry; author(s), title, publication name, issue, page number and year of publication. Select publications that are most relevant and best support your case. If none, please just leave blank.


Research Proposal
Please provide an indicative (up to 1 month) time line, including start date, length of visit to the MBA and end date.

Please provide a scientific summary of your proposed project. This should concisely present your research proposal, including a brief overview of the background, the research context, and a clear summary of the project's aims and objectives (maximum 500 words).

Your project proposal should provide a comprehensive overview of the planned study and include the following elements:

(i) A clear outline of the research context, objectives, and anticipated outcomes.

(ii) A description of the methodology, including data collection and analysis techniques.

(iii) A timeline with key milestones.

(iv) An explanation of the significance, originality, and timeliness of the research (maximum 1,500 words).



Please provide a lay summary of your proposed project. This summary should be written in plain language that is easily understood by someone without a scientific background.

Explain what drew you to this area of research and what aspects of your proposed work you find exciting, important, or meaningful.

Additionally, briefly describe the potential impact of your research and how it could benefit society more broadly (maximum 200 words).




Data Management & Data Sharing

The Marine Biological Association advocates for open science and is dedicated to ensuring that research data are made publicly available in a responsible and well-managed way, with minimal restrictions. Ray Lankester Investigators are expected to deposit data outputs in appropriate, recognized, and publicly accessible repositories (e.g. DASSH). This enables others to verify findings and build upon the work, serving the broader public interest. To maximize the value of open data, it should be made intelligently open—that is, it must be discoverable, accessible, understandable, assessable, and reusable.

Outline of data management and data sharing plan: 
Please outline your plan for data management and sharing. Include details on how data will be collected, stored, curated, and preserved, as well as how and when it will be shared. Specify the repositories or platforms you intend to use, and describe any measures to ensure data quality, accessibility, and compliance with ethical or legal requirements (maximum 200 words).