Jay Allen

Jay Allen is a PhD student at the School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, supervised by Dr. Anaëlle Lemasson, Dr. Mick Hanley, Dr. Abigail McQuatters-Gollop, Dr. Louise Firth, and Dr. Antony Knights. His doctoral research focuses on Greening of grey infrastructure: Building the evidence base for multifunctional coastal infrastructure, integrating eco-engineering and public engagement to enhance nature-connectedness.

His research spans marine eco-engineering and cognitive psychology, with primary interests in coastal biodiversity enhancement through structural complexity, systematic reviews of ecological interventions, and eyewitness identification methodologies. Recent work emphasizes meta-analysis techniques and community engagement in marine conservation contexts, contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to life below water and sustainable cities.

Allen's 2025 publications demonstrate a strong focus on coastal infrastructure biodiversity, analyzing how topographic complexity shapes ecological communities on artificial structures. His 2023 psychology work explores cognitive factors in legal testimony, revealing how pre-event instructions impact eyewitness accuracy. This interdisciplinary approach bridges environmental science and cognitive research.

As a supervised doctoral candidate, Allen collaborates extensively with marine science teams at Plymouth, contributing to projects that examine historical coastal urbanization and contemporary eco-engineering solutions. His work involves field studies, meta-analyses, and public outreach initiatives to translate research into practical coastal management strategies.

Allen actively participates in research networks focused on marine conservation, with collaborations spanning institutional and international boundaries. His current projects emphasize scaling eco-engineering interventions for real-world application, particularly in urban coastal environments where biodiversity loss is acute.