Our programmes have been developed and are taught by practising professionals and industry experts. Queen Mary is home to a leading research group in aquatic ecology, which means you will receive expert supervision. In addition, our partnership with Kew Gardens, a world heritage site, means you will have access to the broad expertise of over 350 plant and fungal scientists who work there if you study on our plant and fugal programme.
Dr Christophe Eizaguirre is programme director for the Master’s in Aquatic Ecology by Research, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Freshwater and Marine Ecology and he teaches on several modules.
His research is published in high impact journals and has featured in Science Daily, The Conversation and the New York Times. Dr Christophe Eizaguirre and his research group support sea turtle conservation in Cabo Verde by collaborating with local organisations such as Project Biodiversity, and providing them with the tools and knowledge they need to help build a sustainable future for both sea turtles and local communities. His group have collected thousands of genetic samples and created open-source resources that help sea turtle conservation all over the world.
in 2018, his team worked with Guillaume Couche from design agency and consultancy Wolf in Motion to develop Atlantis, a novel tool based on virtual reality that allows us to visualise the real movements and behaviours of a Loggerhead turtle. In Cabo Verde, Atlantis is being used in three different islands to engage the public in turtle conservation and encourage them to protect turtles and their habitats. The app is currently selected as a finalist for a prestigious design prize. In addition, his turtle conservation project was shortlisted for the NCCPE Engage Award 2016 in the STEM category.
Students on the Freshwater and Marine Ecology field course will be able to assist with data collection on sea turtles to assist with Christophe’s research, as will those who choose to undertake a research project in this area.
Those studying on the Plant and Fungal Taxonomy, Diversity and Conservation programme will be taught by Professor Richard Buggs who is a world-renowned expert in his field. Richard has conducted ground-breaking research in his lab at Queen Mary and regularly contributes to leading global media outlets including the BBC, the Guardian, the Economist and the Financial Times.
Last year, research from Richard identified the genetic basis of resistance to ash dieback in UK trees, opening up new avenues for ash tree conservation. It’s hoped their findings could be used to restore diseased woodlands and in turn, help protect other species that depend on ash trees for their survival.