What our students say

The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever - Jacques Yves Cousteau

I am a first year PhD student working under the joint supervision of Dr Robert Raja (Chemistry), Prof Ajit Shenoi (Engineering) and Prof Andy Hor Tzi Sum (A*STAR Singapore). Given the multidisciplinary nature of my project, I am interested in developing cross-faculty collaborations with Chemistry and SMMI; and the involvement of an overseas partner is aimed at strengthening international research objectives associated with this project.

Since 2008 I have been a student at the University of Southampton. Throughout my studies I had a deep interest in maritime archaeology. The SMMI provided me with the opportunity to further my interest in maritime archaeology through a multi-disciplinary PhD studentship – the first of its kind. Supervising my project are staff from both Ocean and Earth science (Justin Dix and Charlie Thompson) and Archaeology (Fraser Sturt).

After graduating from the University of Hertfordshire in 2008 with an LL.B, I attended the University of Southampton and was awarded an LL.M in Maritime Law. I am currently a Postgraduate Researcher in the Faculty of Business, Law and Art and part-time tutor teaching the Carriage of Goods by Sea and Admiralty Law.

I am a first year PhD student at the National Oceanography Centre Southampton working under the supervision of Dr Juerg M Matter (Ocean & Earth Science), Prof Damon Teagle (Ocean & Earth Science) and Dr Nick Woodman (Engineering and the Environment). I graduated with a Licence in Biology from the University Paris 7 - Paris Diderot and in 2012 obtained an MSc in Geochemistry at the Institute de Physique du Globe de Paris, France. For my two MSc internships I worked on iron speciation in Archaean rocks and on iodine storage in borosilicate glasses.

This research tackles the societal challenge of achieving governance systems in small islands that can anticipate and cope with both immediate shocks and slow onset changes to the coastal landscape, and ultimately contributing to improved coastal sustainability.

The multidisciplinary aspect of the Leverhulme Trust Doctoral Scholarship enables me to combine in a very sensitive way all the domains I have been involved throughout my previous work experiences and during my studies. To me, this multidisciplinarity is the only way to enable us to tackle complex environmental issues.

I received a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology (University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee) in 2006 and a Master of Arts (East Carolina University) in 2009. I worked with Clemson University, University of Nottingham, and RPM Nautical Foundation before joining the Archaeology PhD program and Centre for Maritime Archaeology in Semester 2011.

I graduated from the University of Southampton with a masters in Ship Science in 2015. I have always been fascinated by historic ships and now I am able to use my engineering knowledge to unlock some of the secrets of 19th Century merchant ships.

I have been at the University of Southampton since 2011, graduating in 2015 with a first class honours in Master of Oceanography. I have worked with Prof Robert Marsh (Ocean and Earth Science) using global ocean assimilation models to inform ship routing to increase the maritime industry’s safety and efficiency. I have continued this multidisciplinary research with the expertise of Dr Sally Bennett (Engineering) to assess the impact of rouge waves on ships.

Using modern naval architecture to solve one of the past’s greatest mysteries.

I've moved on to work with the DECCMA project (Deltas, Vulnerability & Climate Change: Migration and Adaptation) until its completion in November 2018.

I graduated from the University of Southampton in 2016 with an MEng in Mechanical Engineering/Automotive. The Leverhulme Trust provided me with the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills which I developed during my undergraduate degree programme. Utilizing and further developing these skills in an exciting, new, multidisciplinary environment.

I graduated in 2017 from the University of Southampton with an MChem in Chemistry. This was where I developed an interest in air quality research. During my degree I was fortunate enough to be awarded two summer studentships in quantitative analysis of indoor air (EXCEL Southampton and EPSRC, BMSS and RSC Separation Science Group). For my dissertation project I studied the characterisation of nanoparticles. Considering my background this project is ideal.

I obtained an MSc in Oil & Gas Engineering from the University of Aberdeen prior to joining the University of Southampton in 2012 to undertake a PhD project on seismic sediment characterization and geological controls on the performance of sub-seafloor High Voltage (HV) cables.

Sargassum in the Caribbean and West Africa, bushfires in Australia, is this the new norm under climate change?” – Prof. Emma Tompkins

As a first-year PhD student in an early stage of the research, I am quite excited about enhancing my academic profile to strengthen my professional development. I am a Chemical Engineer with a 5-year Diploma, obtained from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), with a graduate’s rank in the top 3%. I have obtained a postgraduate certificate of studies in Energy Production and Management, also from NTUA.

I received my Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Montana in 2011. I came to the University of Southampton in 2012 to receive my Master’s of Arts in Medieval and Renaissance Culture. It is in this programme that I was first introduced to the possibilities of interdisciplinary study, which the SMMI has been able to cultivate even further in my PhD project.

With a background in Forensic Psychology, I have developed a deep-rooted interest in research which seeks to understand offenders’ motivations for criminal behaviour. During my MSc, I additionally discovered a passion for research involving animal and environmental welfare. Based in both Criminology and Marine Ecology, the interdisciplinarity of my PhD project allows me to combine the two, in conducting innovative research which I hope will ultimately inform and facilitate change to wildlife crime enforcement initiatives.

I obtained a BSc in psychology and an MSc in Neuropsychology from Bournemouth University in 2013 and 2014. I am now completing a PhD at the University of Southampton in cognitive psychology. It is through my PhD that I have been introduced to interdisciplinary work, with supervisors residing in both the psychology and engineering departments.

After graduating from Kings College London with a Music BA hons (2:1) in 2011, I made the exciting decision to move into the world of science and continue studying. I was awarded a First Class Honours for a Masters in Marine Biology at the University of Southampton in 2016 and was consequently offered a PhD studentship as a Leverhulme scholar. My multidisciplinary PhD is looking at the implications of restoring the native oyster (Ostrea edulis) population in the Solent.

I graduated with a first class honours in MSci Marine Biology from the University of Southampton in 2015. My masters thesis looked at how humans can alter species distributions, which is continued with my PhD. My PhD enables me to take a multidisciplinary approach to my research, making the project accessible to numerous fields.

Before moving to NOCS to join the geology and geophysics group here, I studied physics at the University of Warwick.

Throughout my studies I have developed an interest in seismic data and how much quantitive information can be derived from it. The SMMI provided me with an opportunity to explore this further and investigate a multi-disciplinary, integrated geoscience approach to characterising the seabed and near-surface sediments. My supervisors include University academics from Civil, Maritime and Environmental Engineering (Susan Gourvenec) and from Ocean and Earth Science (Justin Dix and Tim Henstock) as well as from industry, SAND Geophysics (Mark Vardy).

I undertook my bachelor degree and the first year of my Master's in engineering geology at LaSalle Polytechnic Institute in Beauvais near Paris. Specialising in mining geology, I studied the second year of my Master's as an exchange student in Sudbury (Ontario, Canada) with the objectives of improving my English skills and to give me the opportunity to live abroad, which was an unforgettable experience.

I am an MPhil/PhD (Ocean and Earth Science) student based at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton. I am Lebanese, and I hold a BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering and an MSc in Engineering in the Coastal Environment.

The current impact of the climate change induced phenomena, and the severity of those yet to come, must serve as a message for us to accelerate humanity’s transition towards a renewable and sustainable future.

I am very fortunate to be able to pursue a PhD under the Leverhulme Trust Doctoral Scholarship. This exciting interdisciplinary opportunity allows me to further develop my passion in robotics and autonomous systems, and continue working with superb supervisors I met during my bachelor’s degree in the same university.

I completed a Bachelor of Law at the University of Glasgow, followed by a Master’s in Maritime Archaeology at the University of Southampton, so I am well suited for this cross disciplinary PhD. The project fits in extremely well with the SMMI mission, utilising the expertise of two leading centres for maritime research in a truly novel investigation.

I graduated with a BEng degree in Civil and Structural engineering from the University of Aberdeen in 2006, with my dissertation focussing on Finite Element Methods for the design of structural steel connections. Following on from this I worked as a Structural Design Engineer with a consultancy firm based in the British West Indies. In 2014 I obtained an MSc degree in Engineering Simulation and Modelling (First class honours) from Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland, with my dissertation focused on investigating the phenomenology of soil liquefaction and subsequent slope failure using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics method.

The SMMI/Leverhulme Trust have given me the opportunity to realise my ambition for Doctoral study within the sphere of late medieval socio-economics. Coastal change and its effect on communities in the past can inform coastal communities in the present. This is exciting. History is not just for a dusty bookshelf. It is relevant and the SMMI recognise that.

The Leverhulme Trust and SMMI have enabled me to undertake research and be part of an exciting interdisciplinary project, one which demonstrates the relevance of an archaeological approach to modern and current issues. Having studied my MSc in Maritime Archaeology at Southampton prior to working for several years in industry, I am delighted to be back. I look forward to working with an excellent interdisciplinary team of supervisors and within the SMMI which has a reputation for excellent marine related research.

My first degree was an MA in History from the University of Copenhagen, followed by a post-graduate MA in Museum Studies from the University of Leicester. Following a 25-year career as a museum curator, I am now a first year PhD student working part-time under the joint supervision of Dr John McAleer (History) and Dr Helen Paul (Economics). I continue to work part-time as a museum curator and I was the lead curator in the development of Southampton’s new maritime museum, SeaCity.

My undergraduate master’s degree in Environmental Science (MEnvSci) at the University of Southampton has provided me with a solid background in the discipline, particularly environmental chemistry and pollution. My studies were partly based at the National Oceanography Centre, which has enhanced my knowledge of the marine environment. Much of my time is spent on the water doing various water sports, which is why this subject area is of great interest to me.

I graduated with a B.E degree in Electrical Engineering from University of New South Wales, Australia and worked as a Project Engineer in the Oil and Gas industry in Singapore. I obtained an MSc degree with Merit in Energy & Sustainability with Electrical Power Engineering from the University of Southampton in 2011 and am continuing to pursue PhD studies at Southampton.

As the maritime industry becomes more data driven and the warming Arctic becomes increasingly navigable, the use of intelligent big data analytics to identify safe and efficient routes can help minimise the risk to life and the environment.

I started my university career studying single honours archaeology, in 2008-9 I gained an M.Sc in Archaeological Computing Spatial technology at the University of Southampton. After my course I went to Munich, Germany and was fortunate to have work experience with the Bavaria Culture and Heritage department and also undertake 2 months of geophysical survey and data processing Coracle Archaeology. I was then employed at the British School at Rome as a geophysical research assistant for two years, during which I was given the opportunity to work at the site of Portus, both excavating and surveying.

This research aims to evaluate a future resource with enormous potential, combining an assessment of their economic potential with a thorough study of the potential socio-environmental impacts of exploiting the resource.

The Leverhulme Trust Doctoral Scholarship provides me with a unique opportunity to conduct an inspirational exploration of cultural and natural values of coastal Natural World Heritage sites, and their vulnerability and resilience to shoreline change. I have always been passionate by cultural, social, economic and environmental systemic interactions and I look forward to this research project to better understand the importance of indigenous communities and participatory management in the resilience of coastal heritage values to future sea-level rise impacts.

Small island nations and their inhabitants have been identified as having tremendous physical, social and economic vulnerability to climate change. My PhD project aims at investigating the impacts of sea-level rise and other climate-driven coastal changes on Solomon Islands. I hope that my research will ultimately help local communities to cope with the impacts of future sea-level rise and coastal hazards.

Chance favours only the prepared mind. —Louis Pasteur

I graduated from the University of Southampton in 2012 with a first class honours in Master of Marine Science, and while on this course, became interested in spatial ecology. After graduating I interned within the Ecological Stable Isotope Laboratory at NIWA, New Zealand and got insight into new techniques using stable isotopes to infer spatial origin in wild marine animals.

I am a first year PhD student based at the National Oceanography Centre Southampton, looking at microplastics in salt marshes.

Law and Regulation cannot be studied in isolation. Inter-disciplinary research can inform more effective regulatory decisions.

I came to study in the Music Department of University of Southampton in 2015. Before that, I studied French horn in Shanghai Conservatory of Music since 2008. My PhD project is concerned with the global-scale diffusion of western opera, particularly in East Asia and investigates the role of port cities and maritime communication in the globalization of Western opera in the modern era.

The Leverhulme Trust Doctoral Scholarship (LTDS) is giving me the opportunity to conduct interdisciplinary research. I am very excited to embark on a journey bringing together marine ecology, environmental science as well as aspects to human health to address problems related to microplastics in the marine environment.

I am grateful to the SMMI and UoS, whose support will give me the opportunity to contribute in the understanding of the mesmerising prehistory of the Aegean Basin and its cultures. Recent developments in the field of Aegean Archaeology and the rock-art from Vathy and Strofilas render this research timely as new data and interdisciplinary techniques have become available, enabling us to construct a different idea about the Aegean maritime communities.

I am a Canadian with a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. in Earth Science, specializing in Geophysics. After finishing my masters, I worked for 7 years both in Canada and in the UK. I’ve worked for the mining, oil & gas and UneXploded Ordnance industries and have had a number of jobs including field work around the world, data processing, and software training.

The roots of education are bitter but the fruits are sweet. - Aristotle

My research combines machine learning with marine biology, allowing me to use the skills I learnt in my previous studies to automate the classification of deep sea species in images taken by Automated Underwater Vehicles. I'm hoping this will allow for more accurate monitoring of our global environment on a larger scale than is currently possible.

I am thrilled to be developing new academic and research skills during this PhD, which will highlight the severity of the issue of plastic pollution in the marine environment.

I joined the University of Southampton as a Leverhulme Trust Doctoral Scholar in 2015. As a member of the SMMI, I benefit from expert supervision across the disciplines of History, Archaeology and Ship Science. My research is concerned with the cultural, political and professional ideologies that shaped the restoration of HMS Victory in the early twentieth century.

Engineers have to do something now about the risk of flooding and coastal engineering while the social scientist tends instead to just want to study it” (Ball and Green, in Thorne, Evans and Penning-Rowsell 2007) – I hope that through this research project I can bring those fields closer together, and study the risk of flooding as well as get something done about it!