The Scottish Oceans Institute (SOI) is an interdisciplinary research institute studying the marine environment which forms a key focus for research excellence in marine-related science. Research interests range from the deep oceans to the coasts, and from the people who use and interact with the sea, to the biological and physical processes that make the oceans function.
SOI is ideally placed on the seashore adjacent to sandy beaches and rocky coasts. It is positioned close to grey and common seal colonies and areas where bottlenose dolphins feed each summer. The institute also hosts the largest seal experimental facility in Europe and houses a modern aquarium and well-equipped laboratories for molecular, developmental and physiological studies of marine systems.
Find out more about current SOI projects.
SOI supervisors for postgraduate research:
- Dr Lars Boehme: oceanography using animal-borne sensors.
- Professor Andrew Brierley: ecology and biology of zooplankton.
- Dr Maria Dornelas: macroecology and biodiversity patterns.
- Professor Michael Fedak: ecology, physiology and life history of marine mammals.
- Dr David Ferrier: evolutionary developmental biology.
- Professor Oscar Gaggiotti: ecology, population genetics, evolution and conservation biology.
- Dr Alisa Hall: environmental and physiological factors affecting marine mammal health and survival.
- Professor Philip Hammond: population dynamics, ecology and foraging behaviour of seals and cetaceans.
- Professor John Harwood: population and conservation biology.
- Dr Neil Hazon: osmoregulatory function in fish.
- Dr Sonja Heinrich: marine mammal ecology and conservation.
- Dr Sascha Hooker: ecology and behaviour of marine mammals.
- Professor Vincent Janik: acoustic communication and behaviour in marine mammals.
- Dr Mark Johnson: sound production, foraging, locomotion, and echolocation in marine mammals.
- Professor Ian Johnston: muscle growth and adaptation in teleost fish.
- Professor Kevin Laland: social learning, cultural evolution and niche construction.
- Professor Anne Magurran: fish behaviour and evolution.
- Dr Bernie McConnell: marine mammal interactions.
- Dr Patrick Miller: acoustic communication and behavioural ecology.
- Dr Simon Northridge: interactions between people, fishing and the environment.
- Professor David Paterson: ecology and dynamics of coastal ecosystems.
- Dr Paddy Pomeroy: behavioural ecology of marine mammals.
- Dr Luke Rendell: evolution of learning, behaviour and communication.
- Dr Sophie Smout: predator life history and trophic interactions.
- Dr Ildiko Somorjai: regeneration biology.
- Dr David Thompson: foraging, diving behaviour, population dynamics, seals, sea lions, fur seals.
- Professor Christopher Todd: marine ecology.
- Professor Peter Tyack: behaviour and acoustic communication in cetaceans.
- Dr Michael Webster: behavioural ecology, social learning, evolution, functions and mechanisms of animal grouping behaviour