Egham, England, United Kingdom
Lecturer in Physical Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London. PhD in Geography, funded by London NERC DTP. Interested in reconstructing past environments and climates to inform future scenarios and science policy. My research focuses on the study of fossil pollen and volcanic ash preserved in annually-laminated lake sediments. Completed in April 2024.
Course convenor: • Global Conservation Challenges (GG3111) 3rd year undergraduate module. This course explores the challenges for conserving species, communities and ecosystems at regional to global scales. • Biogeography (GG2043) 2nd year undergraduate module. The main themes explored are dispersal strategies of organisms; the principal factors limiting species distribution; natural selection and evolution; island biogeography; natural and anthropogenic threats to ecosystems; extinction and the effects of disease. • Geographical Techniques (GG1011-Statistics) 1st year undergraduate module. This course involved a series of lectures followed by computer practicals and introduced students to statistical methods in Geography in Microsoft Excel. • Supervision of Dissertation students (GG3001) Third-year and MSc students. • MSc Palynology (GG5203). For this intensive MSc option course in 2023, I delivered a series of lectures on pollen principles, identification, application, and analyses. I ran workshops on data presentation using specialist software, held drop-in help sessions and supervised identification practicals on the microscopes. Other teaching: • Undergraduate Tutor (GG1001/2) Physical Geography o Designing and delivering a programme of Physical Geography tutorials, including sessions on the geosphere, biosphere, environmental change, academic study skills and marking formative essays. • Field teaching – Geographical Research and Field Training (GG1032 & GG2003) – second year undergraduate field course to Sicily, first year undergraduate field courses to Spain and Cardiff o Supervision of project groups, marking and demonstrating on Physical Geography techniques, including sedimentology, geomorphology, vegetation dynamics, and fluvial processes. Departmental Marketing, Careers and Employability (2024-). Responsible for overseeing careers-related activities in the Department, with a particular focus on undergraduate students.
• UKRI Science Policy Intern at The Royal Society, London, working within the Data, and Research and Innovation teams. • Within the Data Team, I carried out research and analysis to supplement a policy report on the influence of digital technology in shaping information flows, knowledge and belief about science. • Within the Research and Innovation Team, I supported work on policy surrounding: 1) The Government’s commitment to increasing the UK’s R&D intensity to 2.4% GDP 2) Visas, immigration and mobility • My role involved developing materials for events, engaging with Officers and with the network of experts within the R&I Community of Interest. I assisted in the development and delivery of stakeholder surveys to inform changes to the Global Talent visa.
• First-year Tutor in Physical Geography • Teaching Assistant-Geographical Techniques-Quantative Methods in Physical Geography • Field Assistant-Geographical Research and Field Training in Andalucia and Sicily • Tutor- Third-Year Volcanoes module • Teaching Assistant & Seminar Leader- Masters Palynology module • Teaching Assistant- Masters Quaternary Mammals module • Teaching Assistant- Masters Tephrochronology module
Postgraduate Research Assistant in Tephrochronology. Working on Royal Society and Leverhulme PAGES (Pleistocene Archaeology, Geochronology and Environment of the Southern Caucasus) funded projects to investigate volcanic ash layers from archaeological and environmental sites in Europe, Armenia and the Levant.