Miss Megan Edwards

Profile

I am a Research Assistant of Past Environmental Change working on the ERC-funded RISeR project with Prof Natasha Barlow. My research focuses on geochemical, grain size and heavy mineral analysis, which will inform us of the environmental conditions and nature of the sedimentary deposition for the RISeR North Sea cores and thus help us to reconstruct the rate of past sea-level change during the Last Interglacial. 

I have recently completed my integrated BSc and MGeol in Geological Sciences at the University of Leeds. My Masters thesis was focused on studying vegetation responses to past climatic variability and changes in the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field. This research included pollen geochemistry to ascertain whether changes in terrestrial UV-B between 46 and 40 ka BP (the Laschamps excursion) was related to the collapse in tree populations previously observed at Ioannina, Greece. I undertook analysis and identification of diatom taxa and productivity in Lake Ioannina to examine changes in the hydrological regime and conducted analysis of micro- and macro-charcoal to assess changes in the local and regional fire regime. I had the opportunity to present my results at INQUA 2023. 

Research interests

My research focuses on using multiproxy approaches to investigate Earth system changes and variability during the Quaternary. I am interested in combining terrestrial and marine proxies to disentangle relationships that drive these system changes, with the overall aim to reconstruct palaeo-records to further constrain the changes and challenges that we may face in the modern and future, in response to anthropogenic forced climate change. 

Qualifications

• MGeol, Geological Sciences, University of Leeds
• BSc, Geological Sciences, University of Leeds

Professional memberships

• Quaternary Research Association (QRA)
• The Micropaleontology Society (TMS)

Research groups and institutes

• Earth Surface Science Institute