Alice Clark (2021 Cohort) Shares her reaearch on coastal biodiversity at a public engagement event

Last Saturday, Alice Clark, a final-year student on the SoCoBio DTP programme, took part in Brighton’s Soapbox Science event. Representing her research on coastal biodiversity, Alice demonstrated the techniques her team has been using to monitor marine life along the Sussex coast following the introduction of the Nearshore Trawling Byelaw.

To engage the public, Alice used a paddling pool filled with toy marine creatures to simulate the local marine environment. This creative setup helped illustrate the destructive impact of trawling on ecosystems. She also explained how tools like underwater video cameras and environmental DNA (eDNA) are used to detect and monitor species, providing insight into how marine life is recovering since the trawling ban.

Alice expressed her gratitude to Soapbox Science for offering a platform that promotes the work of women and non-binary scientists through public outreach. She thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the public and answering their insightful questions.