Research Fund 25/12 :: Lucy Clarke

Congratulations to Lucy Clarke, a Ph.D. researcher from the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter, who reached out to us after hitting a very familiar problem in the world of science: fieldwork is expensive… and it keeps getting more expensive.

Lucy’s Ph.D. focuses on human–shark conflict and involves annual fieldwork at Ascension Island, using acoustic receiver arrays that don’t come cheap. While her project is funded through a NERC studentship, an unexpected rise in equipment costs quickly ate into her research budget, leaving her without enough funds to attend Sharks International, where she has been accepted to give a talk in May 2026.

Missing a major international conference because of logistics is one of those things that simply shouldn’t happen to early-career researchers doing solid, relevant science — so there was really only one possible answer.

We therefore happily transferred 500 euros to Lucy, helping her cover travel and accommodation costs so she can present her work, grow her network, and take part in the global discussion on shark ecology and conservation.

Go Lucy, and knock’em dead at Sharks International!