People

Principal Investigators
	Dr Gordon Bromley Email: gordon.bromley@universityofgalway.ie IRIS research profile: Click here Personal website: Click here		Dr Carleton Jones Email: carleton.jones@universityofgalway.ie IRIS research profile: Click here
	Dr Karen Molloy Email: karen.molloy@universityofgalway.ie IRIS research profile: Click here		Dr Audrey Morley Email: audrey.morley@universityofgalway.ie IRIS research profile: Click here X: @MorPalaeo
	Dr Aaron Potito Email: aaron.potito@universityofgalway.ie IRIS research profile: Click here		Dr Karen Taylor Email: karen.taylor@universityofgalway.ie IRIS research profile: Click here Instagram: @core_project23 LinkedIn: Click here
Researchers
	Professor emeritus Michael O’Connell, MRIA Email: michael.oconnell@universityofgalway.ie IRIS Research profile: Click here X: @MOConnell07
Postdoctoral Researchers
	Dr Elwyn De La Vega Email: elwyn.delavega@universityofgalway.ie LinkedIn: Click here ORCID: Click here		Dr Alessio Fabbrini Email: alessio.fabbrini@universityofgalway.ie LinkedIn: Click here Google Scholar: Click here Personal website: Click here Neogene and Quaternary Planktonic Foraminifera Working group: Click here
	Dr Martin Nauton-Fourteu Email: martin.nauton-fourteu@universityofgalway.ie IRIS research profile: Click here LinkedIn: Click here		Dr Daisy Spencer Email: daisy.spencer@universityofgalway.ie IRIS research profile: Click here ResearchGate: Click here X: @preselipollen
	Dr Thomas Weiss Email: thomas.weiss@universityofgalway.ie IRIS research profile: Click here Google Scholar: Click here
PhD Students
Diane Armitage Email: d.armitage1@universityofgalway.ie PhD title: Modelling the impact of physiological and ontogenetic processes recorded in planktonic foraminifera. Supervisor: Dr Audrey Morley Bio: I have a MRes in Zoology from University College Cork and started my PhD studies in Unversity of Galway in 2023. My interests are in marine ecology, climate change and mathematical modelling. My project is part of the SiTrAc project which will develop and apply indirect measures of climate to assess past Arctic climate variability and its sensitivity to climate forcing.	Marta Cabello Email: m.cabello1@universityofgalway.ie PhD title: Reconstruction of the oceanic carbon dioxide uptake in the North Atlantic during three different interglacial scenarios. A model-data comparison Supervisor: Dr Audrey Morley Bio: I graduated from University of Cadiz (Spain) in 2012 with a Licenciada Degree in Marine Sciences. My main research interests are Palaeoceanography and Marine Biogeochemistry, with an emphasis on carbon cycle reconstruction.	Adrienne Foreman Email: a.foreman1@universityofgalway.ie PhD title: Abrupt climate change in Ireland: Assessing the role of ‘seasonality’ in the last glacial termination and ramifications for our global warming future Supervisor: Dr Gordon Bromley Bio: MSc in Coastal and Marine Environments (2019) and fourth year PhD. My interests are climate change and the terrestrial manifestation of abrupt climate changes in northwestern Europe, particularly in response to potential fluctuations of the AMOC. My project looks at past glacial behaviour and lacustrine sediment cores.	Hridya Krishnakumar Email: h.krishnakumar1@universityofgalway.ie PhD title:The impact of early diagenetic processes in surface marine sediments on geochemical tracers recorded in planktonic foraminifera. Supervisor: Dr Audrey Morley Bio: I am a first year PhD student who aims to investigate the impact of early diagenetic processes in surface marine sediments using planktonic foraminifera. I completed the NF-POGO- CofE program on Observational Oceanography from Alfred Wegener Institute of Polar and Marine Research, Germany. I have a master's from Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), India.
Jacob Nguyen Email: j.nguyen1@universityofgalway.ie PhD title: Response of Palaeolimnological Indicators during Periods of Abrupt Climate Change since the end of the Last Ice Age Supervisors: Dr Karen Taylor and Dr Aaron Potito Bio: After graduating from the University of Portland with a Bachelor’s in Environmental Sciences (2021), I attended the University of Galway for my MSc in Coastal and Marine Environments (2022). Throughout the program, I worked closely with the Palaeoclimate Research Unit staff and developed a passion for palaeoclimate. Through funding with the SFI and IRC Pathway Programme and co-funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and Met Éireann, my PhD research primarily focuses on the effects of abrupt climate change on Ireland’s natural freshwater systems. Using a multi-proxy approach, my goal is to create a robust reconstruction of Ireland’s past climate from the late-glacial period to the early Holocene. The proposed methodologies include chironomid and pollen assemblage analysis, loss on ignition, stable isotope analysis, and ED XRF. The data gathered from this project will add to Ireland’s ever-growing palaeoclimate record and will be instrumental in furthering our understanding of Ireland’s past as well as helping shape Irish climate policy in the 21st century and beyond.	Julie O'Donovan Email: j.odonovan10@universityofgalway.ie PhD title: A Temporal Assessment of Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment (TARE) Supervisor: Dr Aaron Potito Bio: I am a current PhD student in the University of Galway under the supervision of Dr Aaron Potito. I graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Science in 2022 from University College Cork (UCC). One of the biggest global threats to human health is antimicrobial resistance. Through the analysis of lake cores from Lough Muckno, Co. Monaghan, this project assesses i) the impact of the shift in Irish agriculture - from a traditional crop/pasture rotational system to modern and intensive pastures and ii) the impact of human sewage discharge on both faecal pollution (via E. coli) and the antimicrobial susceptibly profiles of faecal bacteria in the aquatic environment. TARE is the first study to assess the evolution of antibiotic resistance from a spatiotemporal perspective in an environment impacted by both human and agricultural waste.	Gregor Maximilian Rink Email: g.rink1@universityofgalway.ie PhD title: A cosmogenic-nuclide approach to quantifying the drivers of rocky coastline erosion under changing climate and sea-level conditions Supervisor: Dr Gordon Bromley Bio: In 2014, I started my studies with a Bachelor of Sciences in Geosciences at the University of Cologne (Germany) and finished these studies with a Bachelor thesis about a method that uses Structure from Motion for determining bulk soil densities. In 2018, I went to the University of Tübingen (Germany) to continue my studies in Geosciences (Master of Science) and specialised myself in Geodynamics. For my Master thesis, I studied rockfalls at Lauerbrunnen Valley in the Swiss Alps, using LiDAR and Structure from Motion. In September 2022, I started a PhD project at the University of Galway. This project investigates the erosion of the Irish rocky coastline using the cosmogenic nuclide 10-Beryllium, Structure from Motion and numerical modelling to calculate erosion rates and simulate potential future evolution scenarios of the Irish coastline.	Paulo Rodriguez Caceres Email: p.rodriguezcaceres1@universityofgalway.ie PhD title: Using geomorphic field mapping and cosmogenic-nuclide geochronology to reconstruct patterns of terrestrial temperature change during abrupt climate shifts in south-west Ireland. Supervisor: Dr Gordon Bromley Bio: My interest in understanding the earth’s natural processes and reconstructing the landscape based on observed landforms has led me to pursue a career in Geology at the Universidad de Concepcion. Various subjects fall within my field of interest. I studied the tectonic deformation of the south Chilean coast during the seismic cycle of the Maule Earthquake (2010; Mw 8.8) as part of my Geology thesis. Over a decade I worked as an Exploration Geologist, first for copper deposits and then pioneering the exploration of REE deposits in south central Chile. During this time, I developed the first detailed glacial geomorphological map in the fjords of southern-western Chile, between the Gran Campo Nevado and the Magellan Strait. The last it was part of my MSc. Thesis in Glaciology and Geomorphology at the Universidad de Magallanes. Following this trajectory, I joined the University of Galway to gain a deeper understanding of the processes and timing involved in paleo-climate and the effects of those on the now unglaciated catchments of the west of Ireland.
Anouck Roignot Email: a.roigno t1@universityofgalway.ie PhD title: Deciphering drivers and mechanisms of abrupt past climate change using terrestrial evidence in the northwestern of Ireland Supervisor: Dr Gordon Bromley	Christopher Stewart PhD title: Fingerprinting abrupt climate change in the West of Ireland: A high-resolution timeline of deglaciation and landscape evolution in West Mayo Email: c.stewart5@universityofgalway.ie Supervisor: Dr Gordon Bromley Bio: Chris has undergraduate degrees in Mathematics, Physics, Philosophy, and Astronomy & Astrophysics from Indiana University in the USA. After his first PhD programme in Higher Education & Student Affairs at the same institution, he moved to Ireland in August 2019 to start his career. He worked as an administrator at Trinity College Dublin until COVID-19 led to the public sector hiring freeze, which prevented his visa renewal in that role. So, he returned to university and earned a 1^st Honors MSc in Coastal & Marine Environments: Physical Processes, Policy & Practice from NUIG (now University of Galway). This master’s experience and project directly led to his new PhD work, in which he studies the timeline of deglaciation and overall environmental change since the Last Glacial Maximum in western County Mayo. He employs techniques including cosmogenic beryllium-10 nuclide dating, lacustrine sedimentology, and x-ray fluorescence component analysis to robustly reconstruct environmental change over time in this locale. By using varied methodologies, he seeks to triangulate, corroborate, and “fingerprint” his site’s evolution to refine appropriate climate models to the finest possible detail and encourage similar efforts in the future.
Current MSc and Undergraduate palaeo projects
Aisling Cunningham Email: a.cunningham42@universityofgalway.ie Project title: Holocene landscape change on the Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry: pollen analysis from Lough Doon (Loch an Pheidléara) Supervisors: Dr Aaron Potito and Dr Karen Molloy	Hannah Comber Email: h.comber1@universityofgalway.ie Project title: Chironomids as a palaeotemperature indicator for climatic reconstruction in Lough Meenachrinna, Co. Donegal Supervisor: Dr Aaron Potito	Kate Lavender-Duncan Email: k.lavender-duncan1@universityofgalway.ie Project title: 'Human-landscape interactions through time: a study of Doolin, Co. Clare, from the Mesolithic to the Medieval.' Supervisor: Dr Carleton Jones

Principal Investigators

Dr Gordon Bromley

Email: gordon.bromley@universityofgalway.ie

IRIS research profile: Click here

Personal website: Click here

Dr Carleton Jones

Email: carleton.jones@universityofgalway.ie

IRIS research profile: Click here

Dr Karen Molloy

Email: karen.molloy@universityofgalway.ie

IRIS research profile: Click here

Dr Audrey Morley

Email: audrey.morley@universityofgalway.ie

IRIS research profile: Click here

X: @MorPalaeo

Dr Aaron Potito

Email: aaron.potito@universityofgalway.ie

IRIS research profile: Click here

Dr Karen Taylor

Email: karen.taylor@universityofgalway.ie

IRIS research profile: Click here

Instagram: @core_project23

LinkedIn: Click here

Researchers

Professor emeritus Michael O’Connell, MRIA

Email: michael.oconnell@universityofgalway.ie

IRIS Research profile: Click here

X: @MOConnell07

Postdoctoral Researchers

Dr Elwyn De La Vega

Email: elwyn.delavega@universityofgalway.ie

LinkedIn: Click here

ORCID: Click here

Dr Alessio Fabbrini

Email: alessio.fabbrini@universityofgalway.ie

LinkedIn: Click here

Google Scholar: Click here

Personal website: Click here

Neogene and Quaternary Planktonic Foraminifera Working group: Click here

Dr Martin Nauton-Fourteu

Email: martin.nauton-fourteu@universityofgalway.ie

IRIS research profile: Click here

LinkedIn: Click here

Dr Daisy Spencer

Email: daisy.spencer@universityofgalway.ie

IRIS research profile: Click here

ResearchGate: Click here

X: @preselipollen

Dr Thomas Weiss

Email: thomas.weiss@universityofgalway.ie

IRIS research profile: Click here

Google Scholar: Click here

PhD Students

Diane Armitage

Email: d.armitage1@universityofgalway.ie

PhD title: Modelling the impact of physiological and ontogenetic processes recorded in planktonic foraminifera.

Supervisor: Dr Audrey Morley

Bio: I have a MRes in Zoology from University College Cork and started my PhD studies in Unversity of Galway in 2023. My interests are in marine ecology, climate change and mathematical modelling. My project is part of the SiTrAc project which will develop and apply indirect measures of climate to assess past Arctic climate variability and its sensitivity to climate forcing.

Marta Cabello

Email: m.cabello1@universityofgalway.ie

PhD title: Reconstruction of the oceanic carbon dioxide uptake in the North Atlantic during three different interglacial scenarios. A model-data comparison
Supervisor: Dr Audrey Morley

Bio: I graduated from University of Cadiz (Spain) in 2012 with a Licenciada Degree in Marine Sciences. My main research interests are Palaeoceanography and Marine Biogeochemistry, with an emphasis on carbon cycle reconstruction.

Adrienne Foreman

Email: a.foreman1@universityofgalway.ie

PhD title: Abrupt climate change in Ireland: Assessing the role of ‘seasonality’ in the last glacial termination and ramifications for our global warming future

Supervisor: Dr Gordon Bromley

Bio: MSc in Coastal and Marine Environments (2019) and fourth year PhD. My interests are climate change and the terrestrial manifestation of abrupt climate changes in northwestern Europe, particularly in response to potential fluctuations of the AMOC. My project looks at past glacial behaviour and lacustrine sediment cores.

Hridya Krishnakumar

Email: h.krishnakumar1@universityofgalway.ie

PhD title:The impact of early diagenetic processes in surface marine sediments on geochemical tracers recorded in planktonic foraminifera.

Supervisor: Dr Audrey Morley

Bio: I am a first year PhD student who aims to investigate the impact of early diagenetic processes in surface marine sediments using planktonic foraminifera. I completed the NF-POGO- CofE program on Observational Oceanography from Alfred Wegener Institute of Polar and Marine Research, Germany. I have a master's from Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), India.

Jacob Nguyen

Email: j.nguyen1@universityofgalway.ie

PhD title: Response of Palaeolimnological Indicators during Periods of Abrupt Climate Change since the end of the Last Ice Age

Supervisors: Dr Karen Taylor and Dr Aaron Potito

Bio: After graduating from the University of Portland with a Bachelor’s in Environmental Sciences (2021), I attended the University of Galway for my MSc in Coastal and Marine Environments (2022). Throughout the program, I worked closely with the Palaeoclimate Research Unit staff and developed a passion for palaeoclimate. Through funding with the SFI and IRC Pathway Programme and co-funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and Met Éireann, my PhD research primarily focuses on the effects of abrupt climate change on Ireland’s natural freshwater systems. Using a multi-proxy approach, my goal is to create a robust reconstruction of Ireland’s past climate from the late-glacial period to the early Holocene. The proposed methodologies include chironomid and pollen assemblage analysis, loss on ignition, stable isotope analysis, and ED XRF. The data gathered from this project will add to Ireland’s ever-growing palaeoclimate record and will be instrumental in furthering our understanding of Ireland’s past as well as helping shape Irish climate policy in the 21st century and beyond.

Julie O'Donovan

Email: j.odonovan10@universityofgalway.ie

PhD title: A Temporal Assessment of Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment (TARE)

Supervisor: Dr Aaron Potito

Bio: I am a current PhD student in the University of Galway under the supervision of Dr Aaron Potito. I graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Science in 2022 from University College Cork (UCC).

One of the biggest global threats to human health is antimicrobial resistance. Through the analysis of lake cores from Lough Muckno, Co. Monaghan, this project assesses i) the impact of the shift in Irish agriculture - from a traditional crop/pasture rotational system to modern and intensive pastures and ii) the impact of human sewage discharge on both faecal pollution (via E. coli) and the antimicrobial susceptibly profiles of faecal bacteria in the aquatic environment. TARE is the first study to assess the evolution of antibiotic resistance from a spatiotemporal perspective in an environment impacted by both human and agricultural waste.

Gregor Maximilian Rink

Email: g.rink1@universityofgalway.ie

PhD title: A cosmogenic-nuclide approach to quantifying the drivers of rocky coastline erosion under changing climate and sea-level conditions

Supervisor: Dr Gordon Bromley

Bio: In 2014, I started my studies with a Bachelor of Sciences in Geosciences at the University of Cologne (Germany) and finished these studies with a Bachelor thesis about a method that uses Structure from Motion for determining bulk soil densities. In 2018, I went to the University of Tübingen (Germany) to continue my studies in Geosciences (Master of Science) and specialised myself in Geodynamics. For my Master thesis, I studied rockfalls at Lauerbrunnen Valley in the Swiss Alps, using LiDAR and Structure from Motion. In September 2022, I started a PhD project at the University of Galway. This project investigates the erosion of the Irish rocky coastline using the cosmogenic nuclide 10-Beryllium, Structure from Motion and numerical modelling to calculate erosion rates and simulate potential future evolution scenarios of the Irish coastline.

Paulo Rodriguez Caceres

Email: p.rodriguezcaceres1@universityofgalway.ie

PhD title: Using geomorphic field mapping and cosmogenic-nuclide geochronology to reconstruct patterns of terrestrial temperature change during abrupt climate shifts in south-west Ireland.

Supervisor: Dr Gordon Bromley

Bio: My interest in understanding the earth’s natural processes and reconstructing the landscape based on observed landforms has led me to pursue a career in Geology at the Universidad de Concepcion. Various subjects fall within my field of interest. I studied the tectonic deformation of the south Chilean coast during the seismic cycle of the Maule Earthquake (2010; Mw 8.8) as part of my Geology thesis. Over a decade I worked as an Exploration Geologist, first for copper deposits and then pioneering the exploration of REE deposits in south central Chile. During this time, I developed the first detailed glacial geomorphological map in the fjords of southern-western Chile, between the Gran Campo Nevado and the Magellan Strait. The last it was part of my MSc. Thesis in Glaciology and Geomorphology at the Universidad de Magallanes. Following this trajectory, I joined the University of Galway to gain a deeper understanding of the processes and timing involved in paleo-climate and the effects of those on the now unglaciated catchments of the west of Ireland.

Anouck Roignot

Email: a.roigno t1@universityofgalway.ie

PhD title: Deciphering drivers and mechanisms of abrupt past climate change using terrestrial evidence in the northwestern of Ireland

Supervisor: Dr Gordon Bromley

Christopher Stewart

PhD title: Fingerprinting abrupt climate change in the West of Ireland: A high-resolution timeline of deglaciation and landscape evolution in West Mayo

Email: c.stewart5@universityofgalway.ie

Supervisor: Dr Gordon Bromley

Bio: Chris has undergraduate degrees in Mathematics, Physics, Philosophy, and Astronomy & Astrophysics from Indiana University in the USA. After his first PhD programme in Higher Education & Student Affairs at the same institution, he moved to Ireland in August 2019 to start his career. He worked as an administrator at Trinity College Dublin until COVID-19 led to the public sector hiring freeze, which prevented his visa renewal in that role. So, he returned to university and earned a 1^st Honors MSc in Coastal & Marine Environments: Physical Processes, Policy & Practice from NUIG (now University of Galway). This master’s experience and project directly led to his new PhD work, in which he studies the timeline of deglaciation and overall environmental change since the Last Glacial Maximum in western County Mayo. He employs techniques including cosmogenic beryllium-10 nuclide dating, lacustrine sedimentology, and x-ray fluorescence component analysis to robustly reconstruct environmental change over time in this locale. By using varied methodologies, he seeks to triangulate, corroborate, and “fingerprint” his site’s evolution to refine appropriate climate models to the finest possible detail and encourage similar efforts in the future.