Cathy Lucas

Dr. Cathy Lucas is an Associate Professor in Marine Biology at the University of Southampton, specializing in ecosystem structure and function across marine environments. She leads research on gelatinous zooplankton, particularly jellyfish blooms and their ecological and socio-economic impacts. Her work integrates field studies and laboratory experiments to understand jellyfish life histories, biogeochemical roles, and responses to environmental changes.

Research affiliations include the Institute for Life Sciences, Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute, and the Nature-Based Ocean Solutions group. Her current projects explore jellyfish-microplastic interactions, extreme event effects on jellyfish populations, and mucous-mediated biogeochemical processes.

Teaching responsibilities include coordinating the Zooplankton Ecology and Processes module and contributing to Marine Invertebrates and Contemporary Topics in Marine Biology courses. She actively supervises BSc/MSci/MSc dissertations and guides four PhD students in Ocean & Earth Science.

Key research themes include jellyfish ecosystem roles, climate adaptation mechanisms, and human-marine ecosystem interactions. Her publications span experimental biology, biogeochemistry, and policy-relevant marine conservation topics.