science communication, marine biology, oceanology, university of oxford, University of warwick, PhD, research, fieldwork, cartridge, bio carbon, climate science, plankton, algae, scienceformymum Please bear with me as I build my website. Many sections are still incomplete, but I'm working on it daily. Check back regularly for updates and, if you have any questions please contact me using the button below. I'm currently on fieldwork in the South Atlantic Ocean. F ollow our journey by clicking the buttons below. Instagram Fieldwork diaries Contact me Arianwen Herbert PhD student and science communicator DPhil (PhD) student in Interdisciplinary Bioscience at the University of Oxford, researching the evolution and adaptation of marine picoeukaryotes and their role in carbon fixation and the climate cycle. These are phytoplankton ~ microscopic algae that are essential to maintaining the balance of our marine ecosystem and that play a significant role in the carbon cycle. We're looking at how they function and thrive and how this is impacted by our changing climate . Freelance video reporter and producer for New Scientist. Advocate for accessible science communication on my social media platform @scienceformymum Oxford BBSRC Interdisciplinary Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) Funded by the UKRI/St John's College scholarship Jointly supervised by the University of Oxford departments of Earth Sciences and Biology , and by the Puxty lab at the University of Warwick Master of Bioscience (MBio) in Biochemistry (first class with honours) from the University of Warwick. I consider it a responsibility and a privilege to talk about science in a way that broadens awareness and improves understanding. Alongside my PhD I am a freelance video reporter and producer for New Scientist , reporting on a range of topics, including my own research. I can be found on Instagram and Tiktok @scienceformymum, my broader platform for sharing my experience of navigating undergrad and PhD study, fieldwork and scientific research, which I do through blogs and day in the life video diaries. I participate in a range of outreach activities and, in both, aim to share my knowledge and inspire young and aspiring scientists. Research Research Lab and field-based research Undergrad research: an investigation of a potential CRISPR/Cas system in a marine cyanobacterium URSS-funded project: an investigation a hypothetical toxin-antitoxin system in phage T4 tRNA-encoding region Masters dissertation: an investigation of the E.coli anti-phage immune landscape , specifically the role of prophages in mediating bacterial anti-phage resistance Drawn to the role microscopic life play in our natural world, in particular the ecology of marine microbial communities, my PhD is an investigation of th e evolution and adaptation of marine phytoplankton and their role in carbon fixation and the climate cycle. Since embarking on my PhD in October 2023 I have taken part in two fieldwork expeditions aboard the RRS James Cook . 2024 BIO-Carbon II (JC269): examining the biological influence on future ocean storage of carbon in the subpolar North Atlantic 2025 CarTRidge (JC275): investigating enhanced carbon export driven by internal tides over the mid-Atlantic ridge. The sections below provide additional information on each project, including an overview of BIO-Carbon II, a fieldwork diary of the ongoing CarTRidge expedition and, on @scienceformymum, lots of behind the scenes snippets about preparing for and carrying out science in the lab and at sea. To learn more, click on the buttons below. Research DPhil (PhD) Research My DPhil research focuses on the evolution and adaptation of eukaryotic picoeukaryotes and their role in carbon fixation and the climate cycle. Learn more Expedition CarTRidge expedition JC275 Between February and April 2025 I will join the CarTRidge expedition, seeking to understand the influence of mid-ocean ridges on carbon export. Click here to read my fieldwork diaries. Fieldwork Diaries Expedition BIO-Carbon expedition JC269 Expedition JC269 2024, joined as part of the NERC-funded BIO-Carbon programme, to understand the role of biology in future ocean carbon storage Learn More Research Master's Project Master's research: Time-resolved transcriptomics and In Vivo testing reveal anti-phage function of E. coli P2-like prophage. Learn more Experience Other Research Projects Information on other research projects including my undergraduate project, undergraduate studentship, previous internships and placements. Learn more Recognition Awards and Accolades Recognition and prizes for academic achievement and contribution to public engagement in science and research. Learn more Scicomm Science Communication and Outreach Accessible science communication lies at the heart of everything I do. As scientists I believe we have a duty to translate our work into something that can be understood by all. In promoting a better understanding of our work I hope to inspire people to take an interest in our world which will hopefully empower them to take ownership and action. I aim, in particular, to inspire young people to take an interest in science, especially girls who are too often still led to believe it's not for them. Scroll through the slider below and click on the photographs to find out more about my science communication and outreach efforts. To discuss any events or features I might be able to contribute to contact me here . @scienceformymum Social media platform, following 50,000+ Panels World Ocean Day, Oxford Earth Day, International Conference on Undergraduate Research, Grand Challenges, Warwick BioSoc Outreach The Royal Society Summer Science on Tour, Pint Of Science Oxford, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford Vice Chancellor's Awards, Goodbye Greenhouse Gas, Icelandic Embassy Talks World Congress on Undergraduate Research, The Oxford Scientist, ComSci-Con Michigan, University of Warwick Interviews Science on the Radio, Warwick Institute of Engagement, That Oxford Girl Collaborations The Royal Institution, UKRI Natural Environment Research Council @scienceformymum Social media platform, following 50,000+ Panels World Ocean Day, Oxford Earth Day, International Conference on Undergraduate Research, Grand Challenges, Warwick BioSoc Outreach The Royal Society Summer Science on Tour, Pint Of Science Oxford, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford Vice Chancellor's Awards, Goodbye Greenhouse Gas, Icelandic Embassy Talks World Congress on Undergraduate Research, The Oxford Scientist, ComSci-Con Michigan, University of Warwick Interviews Science on the Radio, Warwick Institute of Engagement, That Oxford Girl Collaborations The Royal Institution, UKRI Natural Environment Research Council @scienceformymum Social media platform, following 50,000+ Panels World Ocean Day, Oxford Earth Day, International Conference on Undergraduate Research, Grand Challenges, Warwick BioSoc Outreach The Royal Society Summer Science on Tour, Pint Of Science Oxford, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford Vice Chancellor's Awards, Goodbye Greenhouse Gas, Icelandic Embassy Talks World Congress on Undergraduate Research, The Oxford Scientist, ComSci-Con Michigan, University of Warwick Interviews Science on the Radio, Warwick Institute of Engagement, That Oxford Girl Collaborations The Royal Institution, UKRI Natural Environment Research Council @scienceformymum Social media platform, following 50,000+ Panels World Ocean Day, Oxford Earth Day, International Conference on Undergraduate Research, Grand Challenges, Warwick BioSoc Outreach The Royal Society Summer Science on Tour, Pint Of Science Oxford, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford Vice Chancellor's Awards, Goodbye Greenhouse Gas, Icelandic Embassy Talks World Congress on Undergraduate Research, The Oxford Scientist, ComSci-Con Michigan, University of Warwick Interviews Science on the Radio, Warwick Institute of Engagement, That Oxford Girl Collaborations The Royal Institution, UKRI Natural Environment Research Council @scienceformymum Social media platform, following 50,000+ Panels World Ocean Day, Oxford Earth Day, International Conference on Undergraduate Research, Grand Challenges, Warwick BioSoc Outreach The Royal Society Summer Science on Tour, Pint Of Science Oxford, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford Vice Chancellor's Awards, Goodbye Greenhouse Gas, Icelandic Embassy Talks World Congress on Undergraduate Research, The Oxford Scientist, ComSci-Con Michigan, University of Warwick Interviews Science on the Radio, Warwick Institute of Engagement, That Oxford Girl Collaborations The Royal Institution, UKRI Natural Environment Research Council Journalism Science Journalism I am a freelance science journalist, skilled in writing, photography, video reporting and production. New Scientist My work as a freelance video reporter and producer for New Scientist, specialising in environmental and marine science. Find out more Expedition Storytelling Expedition storyteller for UKRI Natural Environment Research Council JC296. Find out more Gallery A selection of photographs I've taken during fieldwork, around Oxford and of our natural world in general Find out more Contact Contact Me Get in touch for collaborations and enquiries. Academic email address: arianwen.herbert@sjc.ox.ac.uk First name* Last name* Email* Message Submit

marine biology, oceanography, science communication, climate science, university of oxford, research, phd, fieldwork, carbon cycle, biocarbon, cartridge, plankton, JC275 (CarTRidge) - Fieldwork Diary Enhanced carbon export driven by internal tides over the mid-Atlantic ridge This is a blog documenting my time aboard the RRS James Cook on research cruise JC275 in February and March 2025, collecting samples for my PhD research. You'll find anecdotes about life and science sea, information on our research and scientific troubleshooting, exciting technologies and deployments, and sunrises and sunsets to boot. I hope it proves an enjoyable read and, for more photo and video updates, take a look at my Instagram page (or, if you don't have Instagram, you can view my posts here ). Click on the 'read more' buttons below to see each diary entry. Click on the photographs for a description. To return to this page select the 'back' button, to move forward and backwards select the 'next' or 'previous' button. Entry 13 March 02/03 2025 Another day another CTD. -80 degrees, lunch time naps and a fishing trip. read more Entry 12 March 01 2025 3am starts, squids, an unfortunate event, snow catchers, and red-light head torches. read more Entry 11 February 28 2025 'Drifting over the Lake District in an airship at a height of 3000 metres and trying to drop a rock onto a barn roof. At night' ~ Chief Scientist Jonathan Sharples read more Entry 10 February 27 2025 Arriving at the mid-Atlantic ridge, phytoplankton and the carbon cycle. read more Entry 09 February 26 2025 Wirewalkers and gliders. Green tape, parafilm, and a power drill ~ can you tell what it is yet? read more Entry 08 February 25 2025 Our first CTD, swath bathymetry system and laying moorings. Oh how I've missed these deployments. read more Entry 07 February 23/24 2025 Cleaning 'Steve', AC/DC on the lab speaker and science chat. read more Entry 06 February 22 2025 4am espresso club, data analysis, Argo floats and sunset birthday BBQs. read more Entry 05 February 21 2025 Rainbows, sunsets, and hand made incubators. read more Entry 04 February 20 2025 Pilots, sea survival and sea sickness. read more Entry 03 February 19 2025 Containers, rigs, power tools and a fond farewell to Rio. read more Entry 02 February 13 2025 CTD, fish and trace metal free samples. read more Entry 01 February 11 2025 Join team Plankton as we sail from Rio to Namibia via the mid-Atlantic ridge. read more

A selection of my favourite photographs Mostly taken on iPhone xxx, xxxx and osmo xxxx. Occasionally I edit using xxx If you would like to use any of these photographs, please first Contact me Oxford and its Universities See more CarTRidge expedition JC275 See more BIO-Carbon expedition JC269 See more Botswana See more Brazil See more The Cotswolds See more

marine biology, oceanography, climate science, science communication, science journalism, research, phd, fieldwork, university of oxford, carbon cycle, plankton Entry 07 February 23/24 2025 Cleaning 'Steve', AC/DC on the lab speaker and science chat Today’s job: cleaning Steve. Steve is a metal-free laboratory, fit for doing experiments with trace metals like iron. This means Steve himself is free from contaminating metals – hinges and screws are covered, benches and worktops are made from plastic – but we need to keep him absolutely clear of dust or grease: anything that might carry trace metals and elements from the outside world. Perhaps counterintuitively, we don’t clean with cleaning solution – deionised water or 0.5% HCl solution will do for our purposes. So we donned our lab coats, hair nets and nitrile gloves, and attacked with our cloths and blue roll. A couple of hours and much AC/DC later (Alex’s contribution to the group playlist), Steve was clean and ready to be connected to his trace-metal clean water supply. Unfortunately we had some problems with the deployment, so I’ll leave that to another day (edit: head to the 2nd March for successful deployment!). back to diaries home page In the afternoon Jonathan held a science talk for the crew, which many of us attended. The next day also brought the first instalment of science mini talks, an initiative organised by Ric Williams, as an opportunity for us all to talk about previous or ongoing work we’d done outside of the cruise, which was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. It’s really valuable for everyone to understand the aims and objectives of the cruise, especially when we are from such a broad range of scientific backgrounds. previous entry next entry

marine biology, oceanography, climate science, science communication, science journalism, research, phd, fieldwork, university of oxford, carbon cycle, plankton Entry 12 March 01 2025 3am starts, squids, an unfortunate event, snow catchers, and red-light head torches The first of March brings with it an Aquarius moon (according to my moon journal), the beginning of meteorological spring, and, for these eager scientists - our first pre-dawn CTD!! Standing in the main lab at 02:59, we watched the profile as it descended to about 300m (a veritable 'dip' compared to its 6km capability) and returned with its bounty - 24 20L Niskin bottles filled with water from various depths through the profile. Not only this, but we were treated to a display of a shoal of squid hunting a marlin in the spotlight just off the aft deck - which stopped play on the CTD sampling for a minute but was totally worth it. Once it was back on deck I set about filtering for my genetics and fixing samples for flow cam (and had a slight mishap with some Lugols which, for the uninitiated, is essentially straight iodine!). And, just like that, I had my first complete set of genetics samples from a real pre-dawn CTD. I decided to abandon my vacuum filtering rig and run all my samples through Sterivex filters off a peristaltic pump which worked an absolute charm - my deepest thanks go to Prof Mark Moore for his generous donation of the filters, which were a luxury cost that I would have struggled to justify on a PhD budget. Around lunchtime we were able to catch view of a couple of marine snow catcher deployments - a fan favourite of mine. These snowcatchers enable us to see what the particles in the water are made of, their carbon content, size and sinking speed. This goes back to our theory of the biological matter in the surface ocean sinking to the seafloor, locking carbon out of the atmosphere. The hypothesis here is that we should see more large particles over the mid-Atlantic ridge due to internal waves pushing more nutrients, which leads to bigger particles, which sink faster, locking away more carbon. You know the drill by now. In the afternoon we had to start filtering another set of incubation experiments from the previous day. These required filtering in the dark which meant it was time to don the red headtorches back to diaries home page previous entry next entry

marine biology, oceanography, climate science, science communication, research, phd, fieldwork, university of oxford, carbon cycle, plamkton Entry 05 February 21 2025 Rainbows, sunsets, and on-deck incubators Today began encouragingly with a rainbow over the back deck, and the first order of business: building deck incubators. A deck incubator is essentially a paddling pool for sample bottles – we cover them with blue light filters (like you might find in a theatre) and pipe through underway water from below the ship – thus maintaining ambient light and temperature conditions you might find a few metres below the water’s surface. With the help of Grant (Chief Petty Officer, Science), we constructed some state-of-the-art deck incubators that only overflowed a little (!). We finished off the morning making up chemicals from stocks (solvents for chlorophyll measurements, acids and nutrients for our amendment experiments) and tidying up our filtering rigs, before it was time to settle down to some arts and crafts: aka, blacking out 24 carboys with rubble sacks. This is so when we bring back samples from the deep water we don’t shock them with the light levels and the surface, which is important when we’re measuring things like photophysiology. back to diaries home page The afternoon’s excitement was a float deployment. These floats are a part of the UK Argo project, measuring temperature, salinity and depth. Once we drop them in they adjust their buoyancy to sink down to around 2km, from where they are free to move with the ocean currents for about 10 days, gathering information about the movement of the water masses they pass through, before they resurface. On the way up they continually measure salinity and temperature to give density values, and as they surface they send back data by satellite to scientists ashore. We have a number of floats to deploy on this expedition, which will enable us to build a nice picture of what’s going on at a number of different locations. previous entry next entry

marine biology, oceanography, climate science, science communication, science journalism, research, phd, fieldwork, university of oxford, carbon cycle, plankton Entry 08 February 25 2025 Our first CTD, swath bathymetry system and laying moorings. Oh how I've missed these deployments Today brought with it our first CTD! Through we weren’t looking to sample our full smorgasboard of filtering delights, it was very exciting to see that depth profile for the first time on this cruise, and allowed us to do a number of tests through our respective rigs to get a feel for filtering speed and biomass. ‘Filtering’ is not actually as straightforward as it sounds – there are a number of factors at play and it’s important to find a happy medium to get high quality samples. In my case, I need to sample enough volume to collect a high enough biomass to enable me to do genetics analysis, but I also need to make sure this happens quickly enough that the DNA and RNA doesn’t degrade. With that in mind, it takes time to push my samples through the filters – and this time increases with the amount of plankton in the water. So I need to have the pressure high enough that I can filter enough volume in a short enough time, without causing excessive shear stress that either dismantles a) my filtering rig, or b) the plankton I’m collecting! There aren’t really hard and fast rules about any of these things, it mostly comes with experience, which is why having days like this is so useful, as it enables us to trial run all these things. back to diaries home page In the afternoon it was time to put the first set of moorings in. These are a really awesome deployment – essentially a 4.3 km stretch of wire lined with various instruments such as temperature loggers and current meters. We lay them out over about four hours, horizontally on the surface so you can see them stretching behind us for miles. At the same time the ship’s swath bathymetry system continually maps the seabed to assess the best place to drop the mooring. Once the whole length is laid out, the bottom (ie the end still on the ship) is attached to an old anchor chain, and on the order this is dropped to the bottom of the ocean. As this happens the whole 4.3 km of mooring essentially moves towards you as it follows the anchor down to the bottom of the ocean, and is now totally vertical in the water. Overall this system measures temperature and currents in the water, and will be recovered in a couple of weeks, along with its data. previous entry next entry

marine biology, oceanography, climate science, research, phd, fieldwork, university of oxford, carbon cycle, plankton Entry 04 February 20 2025 Escorts, sea survival and sea sickness Not a huge amount of science was done today - everyone gets a day of grace to adjust to the ship's movement, which leaves most feeling at least a little groggy - but let me tell you a little about the experience of leaving port. We headed out to the front deck where we had the optimum view. When you leave a big port like Rio you get a 'Pilot' - someone who knows the way and comes up to the bridge to guide you out. He came on around 0900 and we were off. We sailed past many of Rio’s landmarks – Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf mountain, and, breaching the mouth of Guanabara bay, we were out into the open ocean! It's quite an indescribable feeling really, knowing you won’t see land again for almost two months. The biggest excitement of the day, apart from three or four planning meetings, was the muster and lifeboat drill. This saw us all gathering in the hangar with our life vests and hard hats before filing up to the lifeboats. We all filed into the boats and sat while we were briefed on what would happen in the event! We spent the evening scheming in anticipation of science beginning in the next few days, and were treated to the most serene first night sunset. I sent a picture home to my supervisor, who replied ‘the happiest place on earth – the aft deck of a research ship’. I’m inclined to agree! back to diaries home page previous entry next entry

marine biology, oceanography, science communication, climate science, research, phd, fieldwork, university of oxford, carbon cycle, plankton Entry 02 February 13 2025 CTD, fish and a vast array of data Our supply containers have been delayed so, while we wait, let me tell you about the different experiments we have planned, and what sort of data we hope to get from them. There are two main types of experiments that correlate with sampling methods; those from the CTD, and those from the Tow-Fish. The CTD, a large Rosette device, has 24 sampling bottles and can go down to a depth of 6km before ascending and collecting samples from different depths. The CTD also measures the physical parameters in terms of water conductivity, temperature and depth (from where it gets its name). The Tow-Fish is a much smaller deployment that is suspended over the side of the ship and pumps water from the surface straight into our metal-free container. The Fish collects water from a distance away from the ship so as not to be contaminated by the ship itself. The samples it collects are trace-metal free and so when looking at things like Iron (a trace metal in seawater) there is no interference from the ship environment. The CTD we'll allows us to look at depth. An important concept in this research is the Deep Chlorophyll Maxima, essentially a region around 100m below the surface of the ocean where light is so low (around 1% of surface irradiance) that the phytoplankton community there massively upregulates the concentration of chlorophyll (the green pigment in plants and algae) to allow them to continue to photosynthesise. We are interested in understanding what that community is and what is going on on a genetic level to observe what genes are switched on or off under what conditions. The samples collected by the Tow-Fish will enable us to look at nutrient limitation. By adding macro- and micro-nutrients to the natural community and incubating them for a period of time we can observe the community response in terms of how the community changes, and what type of genetic responses individual phytoplankton have. In addition to the genetic analysis, we'll be measuring and sampling for many other things: chlorophyll, size-fractionated chlorophyll, scanning electron microscopy, flow cytometry, flow-cam, and more. This will combine to provide a more complete dataset to help understand the current status of the ocean. Shift patterns will not be set but generally samples need to be taken before the sunrises at dawn. This means that most days will begin at 0300 hours. back to diaries home page previous entry next entry

marine biology, oceanography, science communication, science journalism, research, phd, fieldwork, university of ocford, climate science, carbon cycle, plankton Entry 06 February 22 2025 4am espresso club, data analysis, argo floats and sunset birthday BBQs Today was an exciting day because it was the inaugural meeting of ‘espresso club’ – aka, Team Plankton meeting outside the ship’s coffee room at 0400 to begin the gradual shift to our 0300 starts (we still had a couple of time zones to go at this point). Making the most of the bonus hours in our day, we decided to take the opportunity to get our FIRST DATA – even if not from this cruise. The JC273 team had left us a couple of trays of chlorophylls in the hold, which we measured concentrations of. This felt like a momentous event, given how long we’d waited to start doing science. back to diaries home page Powered on by a gorgeous sunrise from the bridge and a run on the ship’s treadmill (god bless dynamic positioning), we spent the afternoon in our RN container (henceforth named and referred to as ‘Steve’) making up nutrient spikes for our amendment experiments. In the afternoon we deployed a further two Argo floats, before the crew spoiled us with an incredible spread at a barbeque on the aft deck – complete with a spectacular cake to celebrate Marika’s birthday. previous entry next entry

marine biology, oceanography, science communication, research, phd, fieldwork, university of oxford, climate science, carbon cycle, plankton Entry 01 February 11 2025 Come along with us on our trip from Rio to Namibia via the mid-Atlantic ridge looking at the role microscopic photosynthesisers play in absorbing carbon from our atmosphere and storing it away in the ocean depths Hello! If you're new here, I'm Ari, a PhD student at the University of Oxford, an avid science communicator and video reporter/producer for new scientist . I'm about to embark on my second research cruise, for the expedition that will provide me with the bulk of field-data for my DPhil (that's the Oxford term for PhD). Before joining the ship, I spent an incredible week in the Amazon Rainforest - I couldn’t miss the opportunity whilst in Brazil! But I'm now on my way to join the ship and my team in Rio de Janeiro, from where we will sail to Walvis Bay, Nambia, over 47 days at sea. The cruise, aboard the Royal Research Ship James Cook, is sailing under project CarTRidge . The overarching project is looking into the role the mid-Atlantic ridge plays in carbon export. I'm part of Team Plankton, looking at the role these microscopic photosynthesisers play in absorbing carbon from our atmosphere and storing it away in the ocean depths. We are a team of four: Professor Alex Poulton (Herriot-Watt University), Dr Ben Fisher (Herriot-Watt University) and Frieda Schlegel (The Marine Biological Association/Southampton University) ... and me! back to diaries home page I'm going to be sharing about my own experience of being a PhD student at sea - the ups and downs, night shifts and hours at the filtering rig. If you're interested in more information about the cruise at large, our chief scientist Professor Jonathan Sharples is keeping a blog I'd highly recommend a read. previous entry next entry

marine biology, oceanography, climate science, science communication, research, phd, fieldwork, university of oxford, carbon cycle, plankton Entry 03 February 19 2025 Containers, rigs and a fond farewell to Rio Our containers arrived which means not only do we have equipment but, in our case, we now have a lab. One of my most asked questions is whether the labs are built in to the ship and the answer is yes, many are, but some are also built into shipping containers which can be mixed and matched according to the needs of the specific expedition. That called for a 0500 start today, which was easy due to the excitement we all felt at finally getting going, and all hands on deck (now I understand where that phrase comes from!) to get everything unpacked, set up and tied down to enable us to sail the next morning. The first order of business was building filtering rigs - we have 8 in total with capacity to process 45 samples at a time, which might seem excessive but is absolutely necessary to do everything we want to do. Most of our rigs are towers connected to a vacuum pump, which uses negative pressure to draw the samples through the filters, but I also brought a peristaltic pump to filter my cartridge filters in-line, which required some clever DIY rigging to stay stable and easy to use. back to diaries home page We finished early and headed out for one final night in Rio - which was bittersweet as we'd come to miss it but we're absolutely ready to get going previous entry next entry