Sophie Corrigan

PhD Student

Sophie is a PhD student at the University of Exeter. Her project, “Evaluating and maximising the environmental benefits of seaweed farming in the Southwest”, focuses on quantifying the habitat value and biodiversity supported by seaweed farms. The aim of this work is to inform the regulation and development of ecosystem-based approaches to aid in the expansion of seaweed cultivation around the UK. Sophie will identify the potential of farms to create spawning and nursery habitats and assess the invertebrate communities they support compared to wild kelp populations. Her PhD is in partnership with the Marine Biological Association (MBA), Cefas, SWEEP, and the Fishmonger’s Charitable Trust.

Previously, Sophie studied MSci Marine Biology at the University of Exeter, where she conducted diverse research projects on the effects of clutch relocation on loggerhead sea turtles, and the development of a low-cost in situ method to quantify estuarine-air CO2 fluxes. After graduating, Sophie worked as a research assistant on the Atlantic Meridional Transect Ocean Flux from Satellite Campaign (AMT4OceanSatFlux) funded by the European Space Agency. This project estimated Atlantic Ocean CO2 exchange using satellite and in situ data to enhance monitoring and validate current predictions of the ocean carbon sink.

Email: sc718@exeter.ac.uk