UKIRSC 2025-2026 Committee
Joshua Wilson
University of Southampton / British Antarctic Survey
Email: [email protected] | Bluesky: @oshuwilson.bsky.social
I’m a PhD student at the University of Southampton and the British Antarctic Survey. I work with tracking data from several Southern Ocean species, including seals, whales, penguins, and albatross. My main goals are to understand how oceanographic features like fronts and eddies influence predator distribution, and to develop models that can predict real-time distributions for spatial management. Hopefully this will help us to protect ecosystems as the environment changes!
I’m excited to help run conferences and build the amazing network of marine mammal researchers here in the UK!
Eva-Maria Bønnelycke
Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews
Email: [email protected] | Bluesky: @eva-mariab.bsky.social
Hi, I am a SUPER DTP PhD student based at the Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews. My work aims to quantify the physiological health consequences of homeostatic disturbance and how they interact with foraging behaviour and energetics in grey seals as a model marine mammal species. My interests lie in the development and application of innovative technological approaches to further our understanding of physiological processes in marine mammal species.
I look forward to meeting everyone that is a part of this community at the next conference!
Rosie Day
Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews
Email: [email protected] | Bluesky: @crday-reader.bsky.social
I am a SUPERDTP PhD student at the University of St Andrews studying delphinid whistles repertoires and how they vary geographically and between species. This research helps to have a greater understanding of delphinid communication as a whole and informs the development and use of acoustic classifiers
Claire Stainfield
Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) | Aberdeen Campus
Email: [email protected]
I am a first-year PhD student at SRUC based at their Aberdeen campus. My research combines ecology and social science to evaluate seal tourism. I will combine drone survey techniques to expand knowledge of local seal population dynamics and determine spatial patterns within haul-out locations while harvesting big-data from activity trackers and social media to understand visitor activities and thoughts. The objective is to assess the seal tourism in the region and determine its potential for sustainable development alongside the seal colony.
I am excited to be part of the UKIRSC committee and very much looking forward to meeting this year’s community and hearing all about your exciting projects!
Mia Hurst
Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews
Email: [email protected] | Bluesky: @miahurst.bsky.social
I’m a PhD student at the University of St Andrews, studying how climate change affects marine ecosystems in the Amundsen Sea, one of Antarctica’s most biologically productive regions. My work focuses on polynyas, open-water areas within sea ice, that provide vital habitat for species like phytoplankton, seals, and penguins. By combining oceanographic and ecological data, I explore how these ecosystems have changed over time and may respond to future climate shifts. My research supports ecosystem-based conservation and management in polar marine regions, which is especially crucial in our rapidly changing climate.
I am looking forward to being a part of the committee this year and meeting you all at the next conference!
Katie Rapson
University of Plymouth
Email: [email protected] | Bluesky: @katie-rapson.bsky.social
Hello! I’m a PhD student based at the University of Plymouth. My research centres on the use of drones, acoustics, and Artificial Intelligence techniques to monitor bottlenose dolphins in the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation (SAC). This work is in collaboration with researchers at the University of Aberdeen’s Lighthouse Field station, who have conducted long-term monitoring of these animals for several decades using photo-ID mark recapture methods. Over the next few years I hope to improve our understanding of bottlenose dolphin ecology & behaviour, and inform the management of the UK east-coast population.
I also work as a Doctoral Teaching Assistant, so when I’m not doing my own research, I’m helping to deliver the Plymouth undergraduate courses in marine science and biology – something that I really enjoy. I’m excited to be part of the committee, organise a (hopefully!) great event and get to meet lots of other marine mammal students.
Ellen Hayward
Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews
Email: [email protected] | Bluesky: @ellenlhayward.bsky.social
I’m a PhD student based at the University of St Andrews, within the Sea Mammal Research Unit. My PhD aims to develop a method to estimate the feeding rates of North Atlantic herring-eating killer whales from acoustic, video, kinematic and depth data recorded by animal-attached suction-cup tags. This method can be applied to investigate potential variations in feeding rates linked to prey behaviour, changes in prey abundance or anthropogenic disturbances (eg. naval sonar).
I am very excited to be part of the committee this year, and am looking forward to meeting you all and learning about the interesting work you are doing in January!
Beth Harvey
University of Plymouth
Email: [email protected] | Bluesky: beth-harvey.bsky.social
I’m a PhD student in the Marine Vertebrates Conservation Research group at the University of Plymouth, working in collaboration with the Cefas Noise team. I am researching trends in the abundance and distribution of cetaceans along the south coast of England through visual and passive acoustic surveys, and using passive acoustics to assess exposure to anthropogenic noise. I’ve now attended two UKIRSC conferences which I really enjoyed, and am looking forward to helping run the conference and connecting with more UK marine mammal students!
UKIRSC 2026 Conference Support Team
Isha Shyam
University of Plymouth
Email: [email protected] | Bluesky: @isha-just-isha.bsky.social
Hi! I am a PhD student based at the University of Plymouth and Institute of Zoology, ZSL. My research currently focuses on the distribution and abundance of cetaceans in the Maldives and Chagos archipelago. I use a combination of methodologies including statistical modelling and bioacoustics to establish a baseline of population size of cetaceans in the region and investigate factors that influence habitat preferences of these animals.
Having attended some fantastic UKIRSC student conference in the past year, I am super excited to be joining the committee this year and meeting more of this amazing community of students!
Becky Dudley
University of Plymouth
Email: [email protected]
I’m a PhD student in the Marine Vertebrates Conservation Research Group at the University of Plymouth, where my research focuses on improving the management of small, mobile cetacean populations—principally the resident bottlenose dolphins along the south coast of England. Alongside my research, I also work in operational management for the School of Biology and Marine Sciences at Plymouth.
I’m excited to be joining the committee and look forward to helping organise next year’s conference and contributing to the growing network of UK-based marine mammal students.