Kristina Chilver
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Email
kristina.chilver@essex.ac.uk -
Location
Colchester Campus
Profile
- Nature-based Solutions (NbS)
- Coastal Defence
- Saltmarsh Ecology
- Socioecological Coastal Governance
- Oysters
Biography
Kristina is a marine biologist and PhD researcher at the University of Essex, with a background in saltmarsh restoration, coastal ecology, and biodiversity assessment. She holds a First Class BSc in Marine Biology and has worked as a research technician across multiple coastal and estuarine projects in the UK, with her contribution to a Blue Marine-funded saltmarsh restoration study acknowledged in a 2025 UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology publication. Kristina is a qualified scuba instructor and is passionate about applying science to real-world environmental challenges. She is also actively engaged in public science communication, including media work translating coastal ecology for general audiences. LinkedIn: @KristinaChilver
Qualifications
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BSc Marine Biology University of Essex (2025)
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Open Water Scuba Instructor PADI (2018)
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Open Water Scuba Instructor BSAC (2018)
Research and professional activities
Thesis
Nature-Based Solutions to Mitigate the Effects of Sea-Level Rise
This interdisciplinary PhD investigates the potential of Magallana gigas (Pacific oyster) as a nature-based coastal defence tool on the Essex coast. Drawing on marine ecology and environmental sociology, it examines the physical effectiveness of oyster reef structures — including sediment stabilisation, intertidal height, and saltmarsh relationships — alongside the governance landscape and stakeholder interactions that shape coastal management policy.
Supervisor: Dr Michael Steinke , Dr Katy Wheeler