Three Research Fellows have been appointed to lead ground-breaking research at the Marine Biological Association (MBA).
The new Fellows bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the MBA and will be instrumental in leading research initiatives to address the most pressing challenges facing our ocean.
Dr Angela Stevenson
Exploring biodiversity in deep (subtidal to deep-sea) benthic ecosystems, with a particular fascination for echinoderms, such as crinoids and sea urchins, with the aim to understand more about their ecology and biology.
Dr Stevenson’s professional journey has taken her to some of the deepest, most remote and unknown corners of our oceans. Using advanced deep-diving technologies such as remotely operated vehicles, manned from the surface; human operated submersibles, to watch the ecology of organisms close-up and in person; and through technical SCUBA diving to conduct intricate manipulations of crinoids at the sea floor.
These organisms serve as important models for understanding the fundamental biology of how systems work, which we leverage to help address pressing issues related to the biodiversity crisis and human health.
As a Senior Research Fellow, Dr Stevenson will lead her own research team and will spend a lot of time in the field, using scientific diving to observe animal communities at the seafloor and experimenting with some in the lab, in mesocosms, and supervising students who wish to also learn about these organisms.
Dr Stevenson is passionate about communicating her research to a broader audience: “I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with numerous outstanding science communicators. A heartfelt appreciation goes out especially to my colleagues at National Geographic, who helped me compile my crinoid videos into a captivating short film that has now engaged and educated over six million viewers on YouTube about the biology and ecology of crinoids.
She is also the Co-founder and Director of the Wild Postcard Project, which aims to bring biodiversity into people’s lives in unexpected and magical ways to spark curiosity, inspire compassion, and ignite the urge to safeguard nature.
Dr Stevenson has been involved with three impactful global initiatives: the IUCN SSC Marine Star Specialist group, Mesophotic.org, and the Deep Ocean Stewardship Institute’s Challenger 150.
These initiatives are dedicated to advancing echinoderm and marine biodiversity research in the deep ocean, shedding light on the organisms that inhabit these depths. Importantly, they also strive to foster knowledge exchange, enabling scientists from developing nations to access these environments by sharing expertise and facilities, thereby enriching global marine research efforts.
During her time at the MBA, Dr Stevenson looks forward to diving deeply into the world of crinoids and dedicate a significant portion of her time to unravelling the intricacies of their biology and ecology.
Find out more about our new Research Fellows:
