Researchers On The Rock: Stephen Warr
Each month we’re profiling a research student at the University of Gibraltar to find out about their background, studies, what motivates them and how they’ve found the experience of further study on the Rock.
This month’s student is Stephen Warr who is part-time Doctoral student at the Institute of Life and Earth Sciences.
Please introduce yourself:
I’m Stephen Warr, a 37-year-old part-time researcher at the University of Gibraltar at the Institute of Life and Earth Sciences and I’m focusing on micro-marine protected areas in the Western Mediterranean using a critically endangered limpet as a model species for my studies. I’m currently in my fourth year of my PhD and I’m finalising my fieldwork.
When you’re not a University of Gibraltar student, what are you doing?
I work in the Department of the Environment, Sustainability, Heritage and Climate Change as a Senior Environment Officer. Initially I was employed to oversee the implementation of EU legislation, especially the development of Gibraltar's coastal water and marine surveillance monitoring programme but my role has changed and naturally developed since then. I’m currently overseeing the technical team of officers as well as different operational sections of the Department including the Environmental Protection and Research Unit and its marine assets. There are close links between my day job and my PhD research - in this case, my research partly involves monitoring the population of the Mediterranean Ribbed limpet along with other nearshore marine species in Gibraltar. My PhD research therefore fits neatly in the surveillance operations we carry out in keeping with international, regional and national biodiversity monitoring requirements.
In layman’s terms, can you explain what you are researching at the University of Gibraltar?
There’s two main parts to the research I’m doing. First of all, I’m trying to determine how important Gibraltar’s subpopulation of the threatened Mediterranean limpet is from a regional perspective. I’m also looking at how the limpet moves or disperses in the Western Mediterranean. At the moment, the whole issue of larval dispersal is like the black box of marine ecology. I’m using this particular limpet, of which there is a sizeable population in Gibraltar, as a model species to explore how dispersal and connectivity between different areas can be used to designate artificial micro-marine protected areas. When people think about marine protected areas, they might think of large expanses in the ocean but a marine protected area can be something as small as a groyne in Sandy Bay and still have a notable impact in terms of protecting biodiversity. In a nutshell, when you protect one area because of a limpet for example, you can also protect other species like Orange coral, anemones or even different types of fish as well. The benefits are far more wide ranging than simply protecting an inconspicuous limpet.
Why are you exploring this area of study?
I’ve always been captivated by how animals disperse, how different species move - from a young age I was always into ornithology and migration in the natural world including the marine environment. When I went to study in the UK, I delved deeper into intertidal ecology specifically.
You might see a limpet and think it’s practically stationary but a closer look will quickly reveal that its larvae and ultimately offspring can travel hundreds of kilometres. These observations fascinate me. The implications can have profound impacts on the way we manage our marine environment in an increasingly urbanised world.
Who are your supervisors and what do they contribute to your studies?
My primary supervisor is Dr. Darren Fa. He brings a wealth of experience in the marine realm especially in carrying out marine surveys in Gibraltar. He’s also been involved in the work behind the concept of micro-marine protected areas. My external supervisors are Dr José Carlos García Gómez who heads the marine biology laboratory at the University of Sevilla and Dr Free Espinosa who also works with Dr. Garcia-Gomez. Both researchers have been publishing a lot of their work on the intertidal environment including micro marine reserves in the region and how they could be used as a model for other protected reserves around the world.
How have you found the experience so far?
I won’t lie to you; balancing part-time research with my job and being a dad has been tough. It’s really tested my ability to manage my time. What I try and do is, every Sunday, I sit down and I set out my priorities for the week. It’s been challenging but, at the same time, a really enjoyable ride because of the contacts I have made in Gibraltar and further afield. Being part of a wider marine research community also has its advantages because sometimes an issue might pop up and you have the ability to know exactly what is being done or who to ask for more information which can translate into better policy advice in my capacity as an Environment Officer.
What are the benefits of staying in Gibraltar to conduct postgrad work?
The main benefit is that things are much easier in that you know how to get around - in my case, you know exactly who to contact to get access to one particular site. It’s easier to work your way around the different obstacles research entails. Also, the lab is right here, it’s on your doorstep - it’s extremely convenient. This is why I hope the Marine Science programme goes from strength to strength; we’ve certainly got the ability and the resources there for students to take up.
What about the social aspect? Are there opportunities to socialize with other students?
Just before the pandemic there were very frequent meetings and reunions of students and the PhD cohort in particular is quite a tight-knit group. I would have liked more social events this year but that hasn’t been possible. Despite this, there’s a really good vibe at the university and particularly on the Marine Science front which is attracting students from all over the world.
What are your plans for the future?
I’d like to continue doing research when I can - something which I’ve set my mind to do is to better place Gibraltar on the map when it comes to intertidal research. I think there’s a gap there at the moment that I think researchers can contribute to. When you think about the research being done at the moment in the wider Strait, there’s certainly much more that we can do.
For more information on studying at the University of Gibraltar, visit: https://www.unigib.edu.gi/
