Dr Steven Andrews

Profile

I am currently a research fellow on the Jurassic SharQ project, investigating mid-late Jurassic syn-rift deep-marine successions of the North Atlantic, using both onshore (East Greenland) and offshore (North Sea) datasets.  The focus of this work is the thin bedded elements of these gravity flow dominated successions which can provide a high-resolution record of the system evolution and inform our predictive models for use in the subsurface.

I gained my PhD at the University of Aberdeen, working on the impact of climate on continental systems in the Devonian and Proterozoic of northern Scotland.  Moving to CASP in Cambridge I began working in East Greenland, eventually accumulating 12 fields seasons in both spring (cold) and summer (less cold) conditions.  My work with CASP initially focussing on the continental Triassic succession between 70° and 73° north before expanding my interests to the Permian-Triassic deep-marine succession and the Jurassic and Cretaceous, working as far north as 76°.  Following periods at the University of Aberdeen, working on the Triassic Mudstones of the North Sea, and back at CASP, I worked at the University of Exeter where I lectured in sedimentology and paleoclimate as well as working alongside GEUS in further work in East Greenland.  I then spent time at UHI before taking a leading role in the development of a UNESCO World Heritage bit for The Flow Country. 

Research interests

My research interests are focused on the ultimate drivers of change in sedimentary systems, and in particular the impact of changing climate.  Lacustrine systems can provide incredibly high-resolution records of environmental change and these successions have formed a major strand of my research.  Major global events in Earth history also fascinate me and have formed an additional strand to my interests, working on the responses of sedimentary environments through the PTEM, the Carnian Pluvial and the P-T boundary.  Much of the work I have undertaken has built my knowledge of the evolution of the North Atlantic region, including basin scale stratigraphic studies and regional reconstructions of drainage pathways.  This work, and my focus on the finer grained elements, has application to hydrocarbon exploration and, increasingly, to CO₂ sequestration systems.   

Qualifications

• PhD, University of Aberdeen
• BSc Hons, University of Aberdeen

Professional memberships

• International Association of Sedimentologists