Dr Cecilia Liszka
I obtained my undergraduate degree in Geography from Cambridge University in 2005,and then worked on climate change mitigation programmes and policy for a number of years.
I returned to academia in 2013, obtaining an MSc in Environmental Sciences from the University of East Anglia in 2014 and a PhD in Biological Oceanography in 2019 from UEA, whilst based at the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge. During the PhD I investigated the role of zooplankton populations and communities in the active flux of carbon in the Southern Ocean, through processes such as diel vertical migration, faecal pellet production, and respiration, conducting fieldwork on two Southern Ocean cruises.
In 2018/9 I participated in a 3-person sailing expedition from Europe to Brazil via the Canary Islands and Cape Verde; this included getting a crash course in boat maintenance and repair along the way. Since 2019 I have been working as a zooplankton ecologist at the British Antarctic Survey, with projects including characterising the plankton and nekton community structure of the South Sandwich Islands and determining the environmental variables driving this structure; the response of the plankton community to the mega-berg A68; and modelling the distribution of krill around CCAMLR Area 48
Latest News
Townhall on UK Arctic Ocean contribution to International Polar Year 32/33
The Arctic is one of the most rapidly-changing regions on our planet, with impacts on global sea-level rise, changes to our climate and weather patterns, and threats to our shared biodiversity and ecosystem services. With the international community rapidly mobilising towards the International Polar Year 32/33, and with new international programmes and initiatives now being shaped, it is timely for the UK Ocean Science community to come together and articulate what its unique offerings could be to Arctic research and technology.
This hybrid 2-day meeting, to be held at NOC Southampton, is intended to start this process. Recognising the Arctic Oceans role in global Earth and Human systems, anticipated outcomes include a high-level shaping of what the UK Arctic Ocean community would like to achieve over the course of the IPY, stimulation of new collaborations and proposals for grand Arctic challenges and a baseline from which wider integration with terrestrial, atmospheric and cryosphere communities, both in the UK and overseas, can be built. Discussions will continue in diverse forums, including the UK Arctic Science Meeting in September and at Challenger 2026.
This action is supported by the UK Arctic Office and UK Arctic and Antarctic Partnership
Further details and meeting registration link will be circulated in April together with a questionnaire to help shape the agenda and discussion
In the meantime…SAVE THE DATE
Potential Availability of NERC Ship Time During the 25/26 Programme Year
The NERC Marine Facilities Programme for 2025/2026 for the RRS Discovery and the RRS James Cook has been published on the Marine Facilities Planning website.
The RRS Discovery programme currently contains a 79 day alongside slot between the 2nd of November 2025 and the 19th of January 2026, which is available for science delivery if funded science projects can make use of this time. Due to the location of the vessel, the ship is most likely to be able to deliver fieldwork in the North and East Atlantic regions. Some support for science capability within the National Marine Equipment Pool is potentially available, although there is no capacity for use of autonomous vehicles or remotely operated vehicles. Any fieldwork within Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) will need the appropriate diplomatic clearance submitted to coastal states at least 6 months in advance, and to NMF with sufficient lead time for processing via the FCDO.
If interested in making use of this ship time, please contact NERC Marine Planning (marineplanning@nerc.ukri.org) ASAP to start discussions.
THE MARINE FACILITIES ADVISORY BOARD – CAN YOU HELP?
The Marine Facilities Advisory Board advises the National Oceanography Centre on marine facilities and services, including the Natural Environment Research Council’s National Marine Equipment Pool (NMEP), the British Oceanographic Data Centre and the British Ocean Sediment Core Research Facility.