Overview
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.
Qualifications
- 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,
Postgraduate Project Opportunities
Publications
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 - PublishedFieldwork case studies: A model for the development of essential employability skills in a fieldwork setting for First and Second Year undergraduate Marine Biology students using a formative training, collaborative, and informed assessment choice approach.
Grange, L. & Kurr, M., 15 Jul 2025, Teaching Fieldwork in Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences. France, D., Batty, L. C. & Swanton, D. (eds.). Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd, p. 343
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › 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
Activities
2025
- North Wales Marine Conservation Conference
26 Apr 2025
Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Director) - Swansea University (External organisation)
Seagrass Network Cymru
1 Apr 2025 – 31 Dec 2026
Links:
Activity: Membership of network (Member)
2024
- External Examination
8 Nov 2024
Activity: Examination (Examiner) - 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:
Activity: Consultancy (Consultant)