Marine Biological Association Postgraduate Conference 2023: from kelp forests to funicular railways
Raphaela Gracie
University of Southampton
This April, the annual Marine Biological Postgraduate Conference was held in Aberystwyth, a picturesque town located between the Cambrian Mountains and Cardigan Bay on the west coast of Wales. The MBA Postgraduate Conference is different to any other I have been to because it is run by postgraduate students, for other postgrads and early career researchers. This ultimately results in a cosy, relaxed atmosphere, where attendees can present and share their work with less pressure than you may feel attending larger conferences!
After a five-hour drive through Wales, we were pleasantly surprised with an informal ice breaker at the local watering hole, the Bottle and Barrel. Despite the intimidating choice of local craft beers and ciders (over 300!!), we had a lovely first evening getting to know each other and finding out about each other’s work. On the walk home, we started to feel the effects of Storm Noa, who the next day, presented us with some impressive waves along the coast!
The conference had an impressive line-up of keynote speakers, from Professor Pippa Moore talking about the potential of UK kelp forests for blue carbon storage to Dr Emma Sheehan discussing ecosystem resilience in marine protected areas. The poster session was preceded by an informative workshop on visual communication in science by Amy Dozier. For my favourite workshop of the conference, we had the chance to discuss and learn about communication between scientists and the fishing community, and how we can work together to have the best possible outcome for marine ecosystems.
The standard and breadth of talks and posters presented by postgraduate students was impressive, from figuring out how to calculate the surface area of jellyfish to the diets of Pacific oysters. I loved the diversity of topics. I had a fantastic time presenting my poster on the effects of nutrient on the coral microbiome, even if I had all but lost my voice by the end of the session!
The conference committee worked hard not only on the talks and workshops, but also on delivering a packed social calendar, with a seafront walk in the morning, pub quiz, trip up the funicular railway, and even some karaoke. This conference really was one to remember and I’d recommend it to every postgraduate student and early career researcher working in the marine sciences. Lastly, I’d like to say a massive thank you to the Challenger Society, whose travel awards make conferences more accessible for students like myself.
Profile:
After spending a year studying art and design at the Arts University Bournemouth, I made the unconventional leap into studying for a BSc in Biochemistry at King’s College London. After a few detours working for climate change NGOs and on offshore wind projects, I landed in Southampton to start my PhD in coral reef biology. I’m now in my second year, investigating the role of the microbiome in coral bleaching in the Coral Reef Laboratory. I’m interested in how seawater nutrient availability influences the diverse community of microbes associated with reef-building corals, and how these microbes contribute to coral reef health.
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Marine Data Management, Governance and the MEDIN toolset
The Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN) and OceanWise are delighted to invite you to attend our popular free online training workshop: ‘Marine Data Management, Governance and the MEDIN toolset’ on the 19th – 23rd of May 2025.
Workshop on the contribution of UK Arctic Ocean science to the International Polar Year 32/33
12:00 11th June – 16:00 12th June 2025: NOC Southampton (In-person with online option): Registration deadline 16th May
REGISTER HERE
Pre-meeting questionnaire (open to all)
The purpose of this workshop is for the UK Ocean Science community to discuss and then draft a prospectus document outlining the priority Arctic research questions the community would like to address during the run up to, throughout and beyond the International Polar Year 32/33. Additionally, to identify what unique strengths and technologies the UK has to help fill these knowledge gaps.
The second day of the workshop will be dedicated to writing groups, one for each of the priority research questions identified - from both the pre-meeting questionnaire (HERE) and day one discussion. By the end of the meeting, each group will have produced draft text and sourced supporting figures for the prospectus.
Post meeting, the draft will be opened for comments and suggestions from everyone, regardless of whether they were able to attend the workshop or not. It will then be shared with UK funders (UKRI, FCDO, DSIT, ARIA) and potential international programmes with whom we would like to collaborate (e.g. Arctic 2050, Norway). It will form a basis from which wider integration with terrestrial, atmospheric and cryosphere communities can be built, e.g. at the UK Arctic Science Meeting in September in Northumbria.
To ensure balanced community and ECR representation, and to ensure that the size of the writing groups is efficient and effective, if the number of registrations from individual institutes becomes overwhelming, we may contact individuals or teams and ask that each institute selects a smaller number of individuals to attend in-person. Please wait for confirmation of in-person attendance before finalising travel arrangements.
The workshop will be open to hybrid attendance and contributions on both days.
Challenger Society Council Position Vacancy
The Challenger Society for Marine Science (CSMS) are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity to support the next generation of ocean scientists and innovators. CSMS are looking for a new Council member to fill the Student Travel Awards and Stepping Stones Portfolio. The successful applicant will administer the travel and research grants available for Early Career Researchers.
The role involves:
- Receiving applications for the two schemes and responding to applicant inquiries
- Soliciting and compiling input from the rest of the Council for assessing the applications
- Communicating with successful and unsuccessful applicants for the two schemes
- Working with the Honorary Treasurer on allocating funds to successful applicants
- Following up with award winners on their reporting requirements
- Attending Council meetings four times a year (in person or online) and contributing to discussions and decision making for CSMS
The usual term for Council members is three years.
For more information about the CSMS Council, please follow this link: https://www.challenger-society.org.uk/The_Council
For more information about our Early Career Researcher grants and awards, please follow this link:
https://www.challenger-society.org.uk/Stepping_Stones
and
https://www.challenger-society.org.uk/Travel_awards
If you are interested in applying or have any questions regarding the role, please contact kathen@bas.ac.uk