51cg

Biography

Senior Lecturer in Geology, 51cg, 2018 - 

Lecturer in Geology, 51cg, 2014 - 2018

Tenure track postdoc, VU University Amsterdam, 2012 - 2014

Postdoc, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre / Glasgow University, 2009 - 2012

Stratigrapher, Neftex, 2007 - 2009

PhD, University of East Anglia School of Environmental Sciences, 2003 - 2007

International Exchange student, Queens University Ontario, Canada, 2001 - 2002

BSc Geology, University of Edinburgh, 1999 - 2003

Prizes and Awards

2020 - 2021 - Funniest Lecturer Award (Aberdeen University Students Association / 51cg)

2018 - 2019 - Most Inspiring Lecturer Award (Aberdeen University Students Association / 51cg)

2020 Sun Shu Prize (International), International Association of Sedimentologists

Current Research

Stable isotope and elemental geochemistry combined with petrography (optical and electron microscopy) of carbonate rocks and sediments for palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, exploring connections between climate, biosphere and tectonics through all of Earth history, from the Quaternary to the Archaean.

Astrobiology and geobiology, including processes of microbe fossilisation and identification of ancient microbial fossils (see for example  and ).

Diagenesis, particularly of carbonate rocks and sediments, distinguishing original from secondary (alteration) features.

Examining deposition and diagenesis of non-marine carbonates (microbial tufas, hot-spring travertines, soil calcretes and cave speleothems), including the impact of the arrival and diversification of vascular plants on these terrestrial carbonates, and on muddy Palaeozoic reefs. I do this using a combination of field techniques, petrography and (isotope and elemental) geochemistry. This work has both applied and academic relevance.

Collaborations

Numerous collaborators, including (but certainly not limited to):

Peir Pufahl (Queen's University, Ontario)

John Reijmer and Hubert Vonhof (VU University, Amsterdam / MPI Mainz)

Enrico Capezzuoli (University of Florence)

Mike Rogerson (Northumbria University)

Tony Fallick (SUERC), Tony Prave (St Andrews), Victor Melezhik (NGU), Dan Condon (BGS)

Anneleen Foubert and Eva de Boever (Universite de Fribourg, Switzerland)

Teaching Responsibilities

Undergraduate Teaching:

GL1005 The Earth through Geological Time (Palaeontology and Stratigraphy)

GL1505 Earth's Materials (Sedimentology)

GL2017 Earth's Life, Environments and Climate through Time (Course Coordinator)

GL2510 Introduction to Field Geology (Arran fieldtrip)

GL4031 Geochemistry and Geofluids (Thurso fieldtrip)

GL4033 Planetary Geology / Applied Geological Synthesis (Course Coordinator)

GL4532 Integrative Geology through Fieldwork

MSc Teaching:

GL5561 Earth and Planetary Surface and Internal Processes

GL5563 Astrobiology for Explorers (Course Coordinator)

GL5044 Applied sedimentology and structural geology