Educational Background:

Prior to starting my PhD at the University of Aberdeen, I completed my MSci in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, specialising in palaeontology. After graduating, I worked as a Curatorial Assistant for the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences. This was by far the coolest job I’d had (so far); I cleaned a t-rex skull, worked with specimens found by Mary Anning herself, checked specimens for radioactivity and asbestos (in PPE of course), made my own tour, and of course, saw many fossils. So, it may surprise you to know that when I first started university, I wanted to be a physicist.

Graduating from the University of Cambridge with a BA and MSci in Natural Sciences.
Cleaning a T-rex skull at the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences.
Presenting my museum tour which featured sea urchins, ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, and Lystrosaurus.

Why a PhD?

I have been involved with research since the age of 16. I thoroughly enjoyed my MSci project and presenting my research at international conferences.

The path of the PhD naturally accommodates the strengths of my Asperger’s Syndrome, which allows me to hyperfocus on a specific subject. I have found my condition to be super beneficial on field trips as my attention is naturally drawn to unusual small details which normally turn out to be fossils!

Finding a reptilian bone on the Isle of Wight whilst on a dig for Dino Isle Museum. We were looking for a specific type of pattern known as trabeculae to tell apart bone from fossil wood.

I thoroughly enjoyed teaching in higher education before and will continue to do so teaching statistics in the Physics Department here. Statistics is weaponised mathematics against misinformation and I am determined to teach others how to protect themselves.

What has led me to the field of Archaeology?

My destiny was sealed on my first geology field trip in Ketton Quarry. After returning last to the bus, caked in mud from head to toe (from falling in it several times) but also with a massive smile on my face at my fantastic finds (including a brachiopod and an oyster), my professor baptised me a ‘fossil hound’.

I have worked on a variety of taxa before this from Plesiosaur swimming to predation of sea urchins but never before mammals. I am also new to the field of Archaeology; seeing human-animal relationships in the past is very novel to me.

Looking at a complete plesiosaur skeleton at the Natural History Museum in London. Ever wondered why they have such long necks or what the tiny tail was used for?
Finding a large group of sea urchins on a field trip in Southern Spain.

What is my research project and why is it important?

My research will focus on the spatial ecology of late Pleistocene Ursidae. We are concerned many aspects of how these bears lived: what they ate, where they drank, where they foraged, how they developed and if any of these factors depend on climate, geographical location, biological sex or if they changed over time. As a proud Romanian, bears hold a special place in my heart as Romania has a rich record of Ursid fauna, past and present.

Posing next to the taxidermy brown bear at Oxford Natural History Museum. I found Brown bears are softer than Black bears.
Exploring Europe’s largest salt mine in Slanic, Prahova, Romania.

This project also has the ideal synergy of physical sciences techniques to reveal more about the natural world as it relies largely on isotope analysis.

Outside of Research:

Aberdeen has very quickly become my home aided by weekly sea dips and beach combing finds. I am actually worried about leaving in 3 years! When not swimming, I like to play DnD, head bang at metal concerts, do crafts like crochet or origami, powerlift and drink tea.

My pumpkin carving for Halloween 2024. Won the PhD themed pumpkin competition.