Dina-Leigh Simons

Thanks to my supervisors @marclim-uk.bsky.social, @tomjwebb.bsky.social , @hhippers.bsky.social and Matt Spencer, and to my examiners @profsicreer.bsky.social and Jack Thomson.

Dr Dina in the house! 🧬 🌊 🦀 Massively proud to share I passed my PhD viva yesterday. I even got two thesis themed cakes thanks to my amazing colleagues. Although it felt like climbing Everest, I know the PhD is just the start. Onwards!

Pioneering study uses eDNA to reveal intertidal biodiversity across UK shores | Marine Biological Association A groundbreaking study, part-funded by the Marine Biological Association (MBA), has demonstrated the power of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to assess

It’s me! 🧬 www.mba.ac.uk/pioneering-s...

A wonderful venue for the Collecting Stories launch 📖 Such a pleasure to be invited as part of the Q&A panel!

Photograph of table with LUP logo tablecloth in black. On top are four stacks of the Collecting Stories book, and one propped up on a wire easel. Bookmarks and other promotional materials are also on the table. Around the table you can see the brown tiles of the VG&M's floor and walls.

Photograph of the four panellists speaking at the Collecting Stories launch event seated with Georgina Endfield, the moderator of the panel. Katy Hooper, editor of the book, is holding the microphone and speaking. Behind them are the ornate walls of the VG&M, with intricate tiling, windows, and decorations.

Yesterday, we celebrated the launch of Collecting Stories: The Cultural Collections of the University of Liverpool edited by Katy Hooper. This new book introduces 52 items from @liverpooluni.bsky.social’s collection, revealing its cultural heritage and research futures. bit.ly/LUPCollecting

Amazing effort from all involved! 📖 @livunipress.bsky.social

Such a joy to be part of the Collecting Stories launch this evening! ✨

It’s a one-of-a-kind book celebrating the University’s archives and the stories each object holds. My piece explores the voyage through time of the lollipop sea squirt!

👉 www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/book/10....

Combining long-term ecological monitoring with AI-analysis and field experiments to model biodiversity responses to climate change at University of Southampton on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Combining long-term ecological monitoring with AI-analysis and field experiments to model biodiversity responses to climate change at University of Southampton, listed on FindAPhD.com

If you ♥️ barnacles, time-series, fieldwork, modelling, and AI, apply for a PhD with myself, Phil Fenberg, @michaeltburrows.bsky.social, and Steve Hawkins @thembauk.bsky.social www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Characterizing Rocky Intertidal Biodiversity Using Environmental DNA Metabarcoding From Local to National Scales We assess the resolution of eDNA metabarcoding for detecting rocky intertidal taxa across three spatial scales—national, regional, and local. Distinct eDNA signals were observed at each scale, with c...

Groundbreaking work on the use of eDNA for characterizing intertidal biodiversity, comparing it to my MarClim time-series from @dinathebiologist.bsky.social, myself, Tom Webb, Helen Hipperson, and Matt Spencer @thembauk.bsky.social @livuniresearch.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

P.S. This is the first publication from my PhD! It’s been a pleasure sharing these findings at numerous events. So great to finally see the work in print! 🎉

Characterizing Rocky Intertidal Biodiversity Using Environmental DNA Metabarcoding From Local to National Scales We assess the resolution of eDNA metabarcoding for detecting rocky intertidal taxa across three spatial scales—national, regional, and local. Distinct eDNA signals were observed at each scale, with c...

🚨 NEW PAPER: eDNA in the Intertidal 🧬

We explored how eDNA reveals marine biodiversity across UK rocky shores from local patterns to national trends 🌊

Read it in Journal of Environmental DNA 👉 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

#eDNA #Intertidal #Biodiversity #PhDlife

What happens at ITRS, stays at ITRS Attending the 14th International Temperate Reefs Symposium (ITRS) as a final-year postgraduate researcher.

New blog post about my week at #ITRS2025! What happens at ITRS, stays at ITRS (or does it?) 😜🌊

www.dinathebiologist.com/post/what-ha...

After the conference, I took the chance to visit the Roscoff Biological Station founded in 1872 🌊🔬 It was a blast exploring the labs. Thanks to the lab manager for showing us around and #ITRS2025 for organising 🌊

Spontaneous final dinner was a blast (although I was running on 4hrs sleep)! Nice to meet you @trinebekkby.bsky.social 🌊

Huge thanks to my funders @challengersoc.bsky.social, @britishecologicalsociety.org and ACCE DTP for making my attendance at #ITRS2025 possible 🌊🦀🐚

My supervisor (Nova) and me in front of the very Instagrammable ITRS sign.

My talk - me standing at a podium in front of slides showing indicator species

Some of my important academic role models in one room! Four people standing together smiling.

The closing ceremony. Many people sitting in a big room watching someone talk on the podium.

ITRS 2025 ✅ 🌊 This week has been one of the best of my entire PhD. I met so many fantastic scientists doing meaningful work—and managed some well-needed exploring after sitting at a desk for so long. All my academic role models in one room? Amazing.

#marinebiology #temperatereefs #ITRS2025 #ITRS25

I’m at the International Temperate Reef Symposium in France this week! My first ever international conference and biggest conference of my career so far! I’ll be presenting my work on Friday. If anyone is around, come find me!! 🌊 🧬 #ITRS25

Meet me and my supervisor, Nova, at #ITRS25 this week! Chatting all things rocky shores and eDNA 🧬 🌊

📢We're looking for a #MarineOrnithologist to join us!

This varied role will include supporting a review of the Special Protection Area (SPA) network, data analysis & review of management measures.

📆 Closing date: 30 June 2025

👉 Learn more & apply here: bit.ly/JNCCpost202529

#JobOpportunity

Massive congratulations Vicki!! 🥳

Amazing time at @pintofscience.uk! The audience were so engaged and asked very insightful questions. Can’t wait until next year! 🧬 🌊 #pint25

Thanks so much! Right back at you Ursula! So well presented ☺️ great to meet you!

Thanks so much @shrewgod.bsky.social ! I’ve got Pint of Science coming up next week…so less graphs and more Star Trek references 🧬👽

I’ll be attending and talking at this year’s International Temperate Reef Symposium in Brest 🌊 Hit me up if you are attending too!

BioTIME 2.0: Expanding and Improving a Database of Biodiversity Time Series Motivation Here, we make available a second version of the BioTIME database, which compiles records of abundance estimates for species in sample events of ecological assemblages through time. The up...

🚨New data paper/open data alert!🚨 BioTIME v2.0 is out now! We've expanded the database with improved spatial and taxonomic coverage, with a new R package! As always, free, public, and open acess :)

Paper:
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Database:
biotime.st-andrews.ac.uk

Dina-Leigh Simons @liverpooluni.bsky.social used #eDNA to survey rocky reef #biodiversity. Many spatial + environmental influences on intertidal #eDNA, but local abiotic stress gradients and known biogeographical patterns captured. Scale-appropriate sampling needed #UKDNAWG25

A surreal experience standing at the Royal Society podium to share my PhD research at the @ukdnawg.bsky.social Conference. Grateful for the opportunity to present my work on eDNA for coastal monitoring and to connect with such a brilliant community of researchers 🧬

@dinathebiologist.bsky.social from U of Liverpool traditional monitoring of rocky shores by visual surveys, but limited eg lack of ID. Can #eDNA complement? Multimarker approach. Few shared species by marker. Detections reflected known biogeographical patterns. Yes, eDNA complements #UKDNAWG25

Just a quick hi.
Still here, still thesising.
T-minus 2 months and 3 weeks (ish)…

Can't remember who said it, but using ChatGPT for your college essays is like using a forklift to move the weights around at the gym.

It's the process that's important to your development, not the end product.