Oxford University to support deep-sea expedition to the Maldives

Taking place between 4 September and 7 October, the Nekton Maldives Mission will deploy two of the most advanced human-occupied submersibles, robotic and autonomous systems, and more than a dozen research technologies. Dr Professor Lucy Woodall, Associate Professor of Marine Biology at the University of Oxford and Principal Scientist at Nekton, will lead the international science team. This will draw on her expertise in co-developing marine research expeditions to understand the patterns of biological life in deeper waters and the consequences of human activities on them. Other researchers from Oxford University supporting the mission include:Dr Paris Stefanoudis, a Marine Biologist at Oxford University and Senior Postdoctoral Researcher at Nekton, researches deep-sea and fish community structure and connectivity across depth in tropical coral reef ecosystems. He will lead the visual survey and analysis for the Nekton Maldives Mission.