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Postdoctoral Researchers
Dr Charlotte Kenchington (2018 - Present) Charlotte is an independent Leverhulme Early Career Fellow. Her research into Ediacaran systematics, ichnology and palaeoecology, with a particular focus on understanding the extent of ecophenotypism amongst frondose taxa, nicely complements the research interests of the wider group. Doctoral Students Ben Tindal (2018 - Present) Ben joined the group following an Earth Sciences undergraduate degree at the University of Oxford, and investigates Cryogenian to Ediacaran glaciogenic sedimentary successions, primarily in Brazil and Newfoundland. He is co-supervised by Dr Neil Davies (Cambridge) and Dr Milene Figueiredo (Petrobras), and funded by a NERC C-CLEAR DTP / CASE+ studentship. Masters Students Catherine Boddy (2019 - Present) Cat is investigating the palaeogeographic distribution of the Ediacaran macrobiota, and exploring the possibility of whether a latitudinal biodiversity gradient existed during the late Ediacaran Period. Anna McGairy (2019 - Present) Anna is characterizing a new species of rangeomorph from the Bonavista Peninsula of Newfoundland, and is co-supervised by Dr Charlotte Kenchington. Erin Leahy (2019 - Present) Erin is using Spatial Point Process Analyses to explore the dominant morphological traits ('super-traits') that control the composition and dynamics of Ediacaran benthic communities. She is co-supervised by Dr Emily Mitchell. If you are interested in Ediacaran palaeobiological research and would like to discuss potential avenues for a future PhD in this area, please get in touch. Applications for October 2020 entry at the University of Cambridge for Home/EU students have now closed. They will reopen again for October 2021 entry later this year. |
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Former students
Dr Frankie Dunn (2015 - 2019, PhD student) Frankie explored the development and morphogenesis of Ediacaran frondose macro-organisms, enabling improved constraint of their phylogenetic affinities within the Metazoa. Papers published during her PhD include a review of Ediacaran developmental biology, and detailed studies of the fossils Charnia and Arborea. She completed her degree in May 2019, and has moved to Oxford Museum of Natural History to take up both an 1851 Fellowship, and a Junior Research Fellowship from Merton College. Frankie was co-supervised by Prof. Phil Donoghue (University of Bristol), and Dr Phil Wilby (British Geological Survey), and funded by a NERC GW4 DTP / CASE+ studentship. Alavya Dhungana (2018 - 2019, MESc student) Alavya studied the spatial distributions and taphonomy of the Ediacaran discoidal fossil Aspidella from Newfoundland, Canada, to test the hypothesis that they represent the holdfast discs of frondose organisms, in a project co-supervised by Dr Emily Mitchell (University of Cambridge). He has since moved to Durham University to undertake a MRes degree in Palaeobiology. Christos Psarras (2015, MSc student) Christos investigated the 3-dimensional nature of material from Siberia claimed to be the oldest evidence for bioturbation on Earth (Rogov et al., 2012). He compared this material to tubular body fossils from latest Ediacaran strata in Spain, to resolve previous suggestions that the Siberian material may alternatively record body fossil assemblages (cf. Brasier et al., 2013). Christos was co-supervised by Prof. Phil Donoghue (University of Bristol) and Dr Dima Grazhdankin (IPGG, Novosibirsk). He is currently completing a PhD project on Cenozoic molluscs in Athens. |
