I undertook a master's in marine biology at Bangor University (2006-2010), before starting a PhD here in 2011. I taught at Newcastle University for three years, and was the marine lead for internationalisation. I have been teaching at Bangor since 2020, and I am the Foundation Year lead for SOS, the Director of Marketing and Recruitment and Admissions Tutor for Marine Biology, and Module Organiser for eight modules from foundation through to master’s level.

My research interests include non-native species, macroalgae, seagrass, microbial interactions with wider ecology, and microplastics. I am PI on three PhD projects, one Master’s by Research, and I have co-supervision responsibilities and other links to a range of other PGR and student internship/placement projects.

• Professional: Senior Fellow of The Higher Education Academy
  2024
• Professional: Newcastle Teaching Award
  Newcastle University, 2018
• PhD: Trade-offs in macroalgal chemical defences: Battle of the sexes, invaders and consumers
  2015
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
  Higher Education Academy,

2025

• PublishedEvaluating microplastic trapping efficiency in seagrass meadows using hydraulic flume simulations
  Cousins, A., Dunn, C., Aberg, D., Williams, M., Smyth, A., Green, M. & Kurr, M., 1 Apr 2025, In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. 213, 117660.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2020

• PublishedDrivers of Sex-specific Trade-offs in the Macroalga Ascophyllum nodosum
  Kurr, M. & Davies, A., 3 Sept 2020, In: Plant. 8, 3, p. 54-63
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2019

• PublishedImportance of Water-Volume on the Release of Microplastic Fibers from Laundry
  Kelly, M. R., Lant, N. J., Kurr, M. & Burgess, J. G., 15 Oct 2019, In: Environmental Science and Technology. 53, 20, p. 11735-11744
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• PublishedThe chemical defences of the invasive alga Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt correlate to mesoherbivore diversity, but not to time-since-invasion
  Kurr, M. & Davies, A. J., Jun 2019, In: Hydrobiologia. 836, 1, p. 35-47
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2018

• PublishedSex-specific reproductive trade-offs in the gregarious fucoid macroalga Ascophyllum nodosum
  Kurr, M. & Davies, A., 2018, In: European Journal of Phycology. 53, 1, p. 1-13
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• PublishedTime-since-invasion increases native mesoherbivore feeding rates on the invasive alga, Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt
  Kurr, M. & Davies, A. J., Dec 2018, In: Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 98, Special Issue 8, p. 1935-1944
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2024

• North Wales Marine Conservation Conference

  Public outreach conference

  6 Apr 2024

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Organiser)
• Hidden Worlds Outreach Event

  9 Mar 2024

  Activity: Types of Public engagement and outreach - Media article or participation (Contributor)

2023

• Trash Free Trails, State of Our Trials Summit

  8 Sep 2023

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Keynote/plenary speaker)
• North Wales Marine Conservation Conference

  Public outreach conference

  27 May 2023

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Organiser)

2022

• Education Department T-Level Design Group

  Working group to make T-Levels in animal management fit for entry into a variety of HE courses, including marine sciences.

  1 Oct 2022 – 31 Oct 2022

  Activity: Types of External academic engagement - Contribution to the work of national or international committees and working groups (Contributor)
• Trash Free Trails, State of Our Trials Summit

  4 Jul 2022

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Organiser)

2021

• Trash Free Trails, State of Our Trials Summit

  Public, stakeholder, and industry engagement event

  30 Jun 2021

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Organiser)

2020

• Lead Academic Consultant

  Consultation on funding applications, organisational-level relations-building, and academic activities and outputs

  2020 →

  Activity: Consultancy (Consultant)

2019

• Academic Consultancy

  Consultation on ongoing public-facing marine-related materials for a theme park

  2019 →

  Activity: Consultancy (Consultant)
• Teams for Education

  Contribution to development of Microsoft Teams for Higher Education, including publication of an instructional video

  2019 – 2020

  Links:

  • https://flipgrid.com/teamsedu
  Activity: Consultancy (Consultant)

• Envision PhD studentship CASE funding: Just how ‘green’ is the grass on the other side? Particulate Carbon and microplastic capture potential by seagrass meadows in Wales.

  01/10/2024 – 15/04/2028 (Active)