Master of Science by Research (MScRes)
The Master of Science by Research (MScRes) degree is a one-year full-time (or two-year part-time) research programme that differs from a taught Masters degree by placing more emphasis on research, and by being examined much more like a PhD, by submission of a thesis, and if necessary, a viva voce (oral) examination, rather than by grading of coursework and the dissertation. This degree will equip you with confidence and competence in the latest research skills (including generic skills such as literature searching, legal and ethical aspects, project planning and grant proposal writing) and allow you to apply for further research training (PhD) programmes, or to directly apply for research positions in universities or research institutes.
In the first three months of the programme, candidates attend an induction and are guided by their supervisor(s) in preparing and review of the relevant literature and experimental plan for their research project. You will also present your research plan to the rest of the cohort and supervisors, and produce a research profile on the University website. Feedback obtained will enable you to improve the final project and thesis. The remainder of the time will be spent executing your research project, analysing data and preparing your thesis. You will also be expected to take advantage of the training programmes provided by the College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering and the University Doctoral School in both subject- specific and generic postgraduate-level skills.
Available projects are advertised below, but you are welcome to discuss options at any time with potential supervisors. Details of research specialisms and contact details for staff can be found on the School Research pages. As well as offering strong support for research activities, the School offers unique opportunities for students to conduct project work under internationally recognised supervisors. Students also benefit from our extensive local, national and international links with state and private sector organisations.
Entry requirements:
Entry requires a good first degree (2.ii or above) in a relevant subject from a university, or a similar qualification from any other institution. Alternatively, possession of a suitable professional qualification and relevant practical experience may also be accepted.
The Master of Science by Research is particularly suited to those interested in developing their skills as an independent researcher, and it particularly suits those who excelled in their undergraduate honours dissertations or have other research experience (e.g. internships).
Next steps and how to apply:
1. If you are interested in one of the projects listed below, contact the project supervisor to discuss an application.
2. If none of these attract you, have a look at the full list of academic staff in the relevant school(s), to see the kind of research they are engaged in. You are welcome to then contact supervisors in your area(s) of interest and discuss project options with them directly.3. Once you have identified a member of academic staff who is willing to supervise you, and project idea, you can apply online here: https://apps.bangor.ac.uk/applicant/
3. MScRes degrees can start on 1 October, January or April.
Contact us:
Dr Nat Fenner (Director of Postgraduate Research, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering).
Email: n.fenner@bangor.ac.uk
Advertised projects:
Below is a list of projects that academic staff members are actively seeking self-funded MScRes applicants for. If you have your own project idea, or would like to work in a particular area of our expertise, please directly contact the academic staff member to enquire about an MScRes degree with them.
School of Natural Sciences:
Orientation and navigation in animals
Contact: Professor Richard Holland r.holland@bangor.ac.uk for further details of any of these projects.
Available projects/study systems:
Function of the magnetic sense in migratory butterflies
A new system for studying orientation in migratory butterflies has been established at the Henfaes research centre. This project will investigate the role of the magnetic sense in butterfly migration. The project will teach skills in catching and identifying migrating butterflies, experimental manipulations of the magnetic field and measuring orientation behaviour.
Spatial memory in fish
In our aquarium at Bangor we have facilities to investigate learning and memory in freshwater fish, looking at how they learn about and remember locations in space. Projects integrating spatial and social learning are also available. The project will leach skills in studying learning and memory, experimental design and analysis of behavioural data.
Bird Navigation
At Treborth botanical gardens we have a pigeon loft for experimental research on navigation in birds. Projects are available looking at the role of familiarity in pigeon homing navigation, in particular, the interaction between landmarks, the sun compass and the magnetic compass. The project will teach skills in measuring animal movement using GPS and accelerometry, techniques for experimental manipulation of sensory systems and environmental cues, and analysis of movement data.
Isolation, cultivation and characterisation of bacteria and fungi associated with healthy and diseased oak trees.
Supervisor: Prof. James McDonald Email: j.mcdonald@bangor.ac.uk
The isolation and phenotypic screening of plant-associated microorganisms is a promising strategy for identifying functionally and taxonomically relevant microbiota for the construction of complex experimental ecology systems to understand plant-microbiota interactions in health and disease, and discover candidates for engineered microbiome inoculants. The project will generate an oak-microbiota culture collection which will be used to (i) identify microbial biomarkers for healthy oaks, and (ii) screen isolates for antagonistic activity against oak pathogens.
The role of the plant microbiome in disease suppression
Supervisor: Prof. James McDonald Email: j.mcdonald@bangor.ac.uk
This project will involve experiments to investigate the use of microbiota (microbiomes) from healthy trees to suppress disease in symptomatic oak trees and/or model plant systems. The project will involve transplanting ‘healthy’ microbiomes to diseased or stressed trees in order to characterise the protective effects of the host microbiota.
Could Wales / the UK afford an environmental Universal Basic Income?
Supervisor: Dr Nat Fenner Email: n.fenner@bangor.ac.uk
In many countries there has been growing interest in “Universal Basic Income” programs which would provide all citizens with a subsistence level of support. The advantages being the elimination of stigma, disincentives to work and bureaucratic costs that are found in many benefits systems. The problem being how to afford it. Meanwhile, governments increasingly see taxation as a solution to many environmental issues (notably carbon taxes as a response to climate change), the problem being that many are regressive and/or unpopular. Combining these two policies therefore has economic, political and philosophical attractions, but many questions of affordability and feasibility remain. By compiling published and grey literature, and other data sources, this project would evaluate the likely additional tax take from optimal environmental and land value taxes, which tax the use of common wealth, to determine what level of universal basic income could be afforded. The project could also include data collection on public attitudes to such proposals, or consideration of related policies such as negative income taxes.
Other topics in environmental policy and economics
Supervisor: Dr Nat Fenner Email: n.fenner@bangor.ac.uk
I’m interested in a diverse range of social, economic and environmental topics including:
- institutions and mechanisms of nature conservation (including Payments for Ecosystem Services and Community-Based Natural Resources Management) with a particular interest in Madagascar (see http://www.p4ges.org/)
- environmental justice, equity and rights in relation to natural resources
- devolution of management of natural resources
- access, use and management of upland areas: including a shift from farm supports to payments for ecosystem services, rewilding, access and land rights
- environmental valuation techniques and application
Feel free to contact me to discuss your own project ideas in these areas.
Genetic diversity and natural selection in populations of invasive fruit flies
Supervisor: Dr Aaron Comeault
Email: a.comeault@bangor.ac.uk
Invasive species are having widespread impacts on environments and ecosystems around the world. Understanding their evolution and ecology is therefore an important goal that would help us better predict the impacts that they will have on biodiversity. This project will utilize cutting-edge genomic data in combination with evolutionary genomic analyses to investigate how natural selection is acting on invasive populations of fruit flies sampled from diverse habitats around the world.
How does the environment shape outcomes of interspecific competition?
Supervisor: Dr Aaron Comeault Email: a.comeault@bangor.ac.uk
Interspecific competition is a pervasive ecological interaction with effects that include defining a species' geographic range to moderating population's responses to climate change. This project will involve experiments using genetically and ecologically diverse species of fruit flies to test how interspecific competitive outcomes vary across different environmental contexts (e.g. when maintained at different temperatures or on different diets). Potential results will help us better predict how species are expected to respond and adapt to changing environments, such as during climate change.
Impact of macro- and micro-plastic contamination on plant and soil health
Supervisor: Prof. Davey Jones
Email: d.jones@bangor.ac.uk
Description: Although much attention has focused on the behaviour and fate of micro-plastics in marine environments, our understanding of the impact of plastics in terrestrial environments, particularly agricultural soils, is lacking. This is surprising considering that most plastics entering the marine ecosystem originate from soil. The aim of this project is to understand the impact of both macro and micro plastics on soil health and plant quality. It will involve a range of both laboratory and field work. The ultimate aim is to provide guidance to UK government on the risks posed by plastic contamination in soil.
Impact of bioplastics on soils and freshwater ecosystem functioning
Supervisor: Prof. Davey Jones
Email: d.jones@bangor.ac.uk
Description: Bio-based plastics have been heralded as an environmentally-friendly alternative to conventional plastics produced from fossil fuels. However, these products also break down to form microplastics in soil. Our knowledge of whether these are damaging to terrestrial or freshwater ecosystems currently remains unknown. This knowledge is urgently needed to ensure that bioplastics are safe to use. This project will involve a range of both laboratory and field work to address this question. The aims are to (i) measure rates of bioplastic degradation in either soil or freshwaters, (ii) determine if these have any toxicological impact on soil or freshwater organisms, and (iii) provide guidance to the Environment Agency and Defra on the environmental impact of bioplastics.
Micro-plastics in our environment (and how we can remove them)
Supervisor: Dr Christian Dunn
Email: c.dunn@bangor.ac.uk
Water and sediment sample collection from across a variety of sites and locations in the UK and overseas. Microplastics and nano-plastics, will then be analysed in the laboratory. Construction of novel analysis equipment and experimental systems may be involved.
Possible projects to become involved in will include investigating microplastic concentrations in all the UK National Parks. Particular attention may also be given to the microplastic removal potential of different wetland habitats.
Previous work by students on this project have been published in scientific journals and received widespread media coverage. These projects are likely to involve environmental charities and organisations like Surfers Against Sewage, Friends of the Earth, We Swim Wild etc.
Building a new nature reserve: The Chester Wetland Centre
Supervisor: Dr Christian Dunn
Email: c.dunn@bangor.ac.uk
This project will be assisting with the plans and the proposed building of a wet meadow wetland site in the Countess of Chester Countryside Park. The area is currently rough grassland which undergoes occasional flooding with high-nutrient loaded water.
In a bid to turn the area into a wet meadow the water level and movement across the site will be adjusted, and a water retention basin and treatment wetland system will be constructed upstream of the site. Vegetation removal and planting regimes may also be considered.
In order to ensure the success and maximise the benefits of the project and ensure it is an example of best practise, data on the area’s biodiversity, water quality and carbon-storing abilities must be recorded regularly.
Ability to get to Chester for occasional visits to the site is essential.
This is a unique opportunity to be involved in the potential building of a completely new conservation project and wildlife site.
Aerodynamics of feather micro-structure
Supervisor: Dr. Kris Crandell, Email: k.crandell@bangor.ac.uk
Could small differences in feather shape have big impacts on flight? You’ll be working to quantify morphology of flight feathers across a select group of birds using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Confocal Microscopy, in relation to the birds ecology and flight requirements, all in an evolutionary context. The project can be expanded to include additional components such as functional tests or aerodynamic modelling, pending your interests.
Claw and Spine functional performance
Supervisor: Dr. Kris Crandell, Email: k.crandell@bangor.ac.uk
This is a computer based project examining how claw shape impacts performance and likelihood of breakage, using a computational approach, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), you will test the claw shape of different reptiles for performance differences. This project can be modified based on student interest.
Other Topics in organismal biomechanics, functional morphology, and performance Supervisor: Dr. Kris Crandell, Email: k.crandell@bangor.ac.uk
I am happy to work with a student to develop a self-designed project that encompasses their interests in any taxa. I am particularly interested on the interaction between the environment and the organism’s performance and morphology. Please contact me to discuss your interests!
Behavioural ecology of Carneddau ponies
Supervisors: Dr Aaron Comeault & Dr Alexander Georgiev Email: a.comeault@bangor.ac.uk & a.georgiev@bangor.ac.uk
Wild-living populations of horses have a long history as models in behavioural ecology, and studies in wild horses have contributed to our understanding of how social structure can affect basic life-history traits such as survival and reproductive success. We have a number of projects available focusing on the behavioural ecology of Carneddau ponies, a feral population of horses found only in North Wales. These projects will include data collection using individual monitoring, tracking, and behavioural observations. The data will be used to test how aspects of social structure and behaviour affect an individual's survival and reproductive success. There is also scope for conducting genetic analyses of individuals within the population, depending on candidates' specific interests.
Primate ecophysiology: Using a non-invasive urinary marker of immune function to assess the costs of reproduction in the Zanzibar red colobus
Supervisor: Dr Alexander Georgiev Email: a.georgiev@bangor.ac.uk
Measuring animal immune function in the wild is important for studies of reproductive ecology and conservation. This project will test the applicability of a novel urinary biomarker of immune function (neopterin) in samples collected from Zanzibar red colobus. There are two main question we will address: (a) Does the commercially-available human-specific assay kit also work for colobus (it has been shown to work for other monkeys but nobody has tested it for colobus yet)?; and (b) If it does work, how does cellular immune activation differ among female colobus at different reproductive stages (e.g., with infants vs. without infants)?
Primate ecophysiology: Does immune function predict susceptibility to intestinal parasite infection in rhesus macaques?
Supervisor: Dr Alexander Georgiev Email: a.georgiev@bangor.ac.uk
In studies of wild primates, measuring the prevalence of gastro-intestinal parasites from faecal samples is often one of the few available methods to assess individual health and immunocompetence. Capturing primates to collect blood is rarely advisable in the wild, especially for endangered species. Studies that can test the relationship between direct measures of individual immune function (from blood samples) and infection status as assessed from faecal parasitological analyses can provide an important methodological validation. In this study we will compare a suite of immune markers measures from blood samples collected from semi free ranging rhesus macaques to measures of parasitism collected from the same individuals in the months following immune marker assessment.
Primate behavioural ecology: Intergroup competition in the Zanzibar red colobus
Supervisor: Dr Alexander Georgiev Email: a.georgiev@bangor.ac.uk
Primate groups typically compete for space and resources and the size of a group often determines the competitive advantage a group has over its neighbours. Some species, however, do not maintain or defend exclusive territories so the role of relative group size in such cases for maintaining group dominance may be less clear. The Zanzibar red colobus is one such species: home ranges of neighbouring groups overlap extensively, yet when groups meet, they can behave aggressively to each other. Males vocalise loudly and chase each other, leading to one group displacing another from the area. To provide the first test of the intergroup dominance hypothesis in this species, this study will analyse a large dataset on colobus ranging and group demographics and test the prediction that larger groups (with more adult males) share a lower proportion of their home range with adjacent groups, than smaller groups (with fewer adult male