Resume
I am highly motivated and hard-working, and I approach new challenges with great enthusiasm and determination. In addition to my undergraduate and postgraduate studies I have significant work experience in financial services and university administration which has equipped me with a suite of invaluable skills including effective communication, both written and verbal; organisation and prioritisation; team working; and project management. My passion for geology led me to pursue a geological sciences degree and PhD and I hope to apply this enthusiasm, along with the knowledge and skills I have gained during my studies and previous career, to a new challenge.
Education
PhD, Molybdenum speciation and phase associations across redox environments , University of Leeds
BSc Geological Sciences (1st Class Honours), University of Leeds
Undergraduate Research , University of Leeds
I won a competitive scholarship to undertake research under the supervision of an academic into fossilisation processes at deep
-sea hydrothermal vent systems during my second and third years at university.
A Level Geology , AS Level Environmental Science , AS Level Biology , Access to HE Art and Design , various colleges in Leeds
Awards
Young Scientist of the Year 2017
Athena SWAN Woman of Achievement
Outstanding Student Award 2013
RSA Edward Boyle Prize for Undergraduate Research and Leadership Skills Development
Deep-Sea and Sub-Seafloor Frontiers Conference Presenter Bursary
Leeds for Life Undergraduate Student Conference Bursary
University of Leeds Alumni Research and Leadership Scholarship
Experience
PhD Researcher, University of Leeds
Health and Safety Officer, University of Leeds
Research Support Administrator (temporary post), University of Leeds
Demonstrator (casual post), University of Leeds
HR Administrator (temporary post), University of Leeds
Ore Deposits & Commodities Intern, British Geological Survey
Events Administrator, University of Leeds
Schools Liaison Manager, Research Toolkit Ltd
Personal Assistant, University of Leeds
Various roles in the financial services industry
I initially worked as a receptionist and progressed in several companies to become a fully qualified corporate pensions advisor. In the later stages of my career in this field I managed a portfolio of large corporate clients providing pensions advice to management and employees.
As an Undergraduate Research and Leadership Scholar I undertook research alongside my studies. My scholarship enabled me to work with Dr Crispin Little on his research into fossilisation processes at deep-sea hydrothermal vent sites.
Although vents and the communities that inhabit them are thought to have existed for millions of years, these sites were only discovered in 1977 and consequently research in this field is still relatively new. Little is known about the processes that fossilise vent communities and a better understanding of these processes could ultimately be used as a proxy for past environments. To better understand the mineralisation and fossilisation processes at work, Dr Little submerged a series of identical titanium cages containing organic and inorganic material at two discrete vent sites along the East Pacific Rise and these were left for around one year. Retrieval of these cages and the specimens contained within has allowed comparison between the different samples and the different vent sites. Microscopic analysis of these specimens and sulphur isotope analysis formed the basis of my research. A selection of the scanning electron microscope images I took during my research can be found here. I presented a poster on my research at an international conference which can be found here.