Biography

Porgera open pit mine Papua New Guinea,
inspecting the black mudstones that contain
carbonate rich veins.

Academic Education and Qualifications

M.E.Sci - 2:1 hons (1998-2002)
Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Liverpool

My fourth year research project was entitled an investigation into the structural indicators of the Nesje headland, Western Norway.  It was a study of the controlling deformation mechanisms, which form microstructures due to folding in quartz rich veins.  The project also focused on how the macro- and micro-scale deformation mechanisms relate. My third year mapping dissertation was entitled an investigation into the area around the village of Abersoch, Western Lleyn.  The aim of the investigation was to map the location and orientation of geological boundaries, determine their lithologies and form an interpretation of their depositional environments.  It was also necessary to create a geological history in the form of a generalized vertical section, which showed any stages structural complexity such as faulting or folding that might have taken place.

Employment History

Part Time Tutor at the University of Liverpool - (March 2007 - April 2007)

Employed to bring first year students up to speed in specific areas such as structural geology, stereonet skills, map training and optical mineralogy in preparation for field courses and exams.

Part Time Lecturer at Edge Hill University - (October 2006 – December 2006)

I covered three lecture courses which were first year mineralogy, first year hard rock geology and second year volcanology.  I gave the lectures as well as running the practical sessions and deciding upon appropriate practical materials such as hand specimens and thin sections.  I updated all courses and also converted them to powerpoint presentations.  I also marked essays and lab work as well as helping to set the exam questions.  First year mineralogy is a course designed to teach the basic methodology for the identification of minerals in hand specimen and thin section.  First year hard rock geology was an introduction into hand specimen mineralogy, as well as metamorphic and igneous rocks.  Second year volcanology covered the classification of igneous rocks, igneous environments, acid, intermediate, mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks as well as volcanic eruptions and associated features.

Structural Geologist IODP Expedition 305 - (January 2005 – February 2005)

I was one of the four structural geologists on board Expedition 305 which was the second leg of a 2-part research proposal. I was involved in the measurement and collection of magmatic foliation and crystal-plastic fabrics.  I used the gathered data to form interpretations about the deformation history and kinematics of the Atlantis Massif Oceanic Core Complex.  I presented talks, characterized and described thin sections and plotted up data in a variety of ways throughout the cruise. At the end of the cruise a preliminary report of the results was completed and can be found at http://iodp.tamu.edu/publications/PR/305PR/305PR.html.  I also co-wrote an article for the IODP UK newsletter 31, available at the end of May 2006 and can be found at http://bgs.ac.uk/iodp/newsletters.html.

I went to Norway as a field assistant to help a postgraduate student with field structural data collection and analysis.  I mapped the location and orientation of geological boundaries and collected structural measurements such as strike and dip of foliation, lineation etc.  I also performed the orientation marking and collection of field samples and the inputting of the structural data into appropriate software.

Primary Research Skills and Experience

Optical microscopy and mineralogy
Field geological mapping
General operation of an SEM to collect high resolution SE, FSE, BSE and CL images
Operation of SEM’s to perform EBSD, EDX and CL
Analysis and interpretation of EBSD data using HKL Technology Channel software