Background

I graduated from the University of Bristol in 2010 with an MSci in Archaeological Sciences and then continued my studies in the University completing my PhD (Earth Sciences) on strontium diagenesis in archaeological enamel in 2015. I subsequently worked in industry for Thermo-Fisher Scientific as a research and development scientist in mass spectrometry and was part of team that developed the prototype collision cell MC-ICPMS, Proteus, as a collaboration between the Bristol Isotope Group and Thermo-Fisher Scientific Bremen. Since returning to the Bristol I have taken a post which is split between the Organic Geochemistry Unit and the Bristol Isotope Group.  

Research interests

My broad interests are in applying novel and existing geochemical and isotopic techniques to archaeological populations to attempt to understand past environments and lifeways. My PhD research focused on the strontium isotope method used by archaeologists to investigate mobility and the extent to which diagenetic alteration, the uptake of strontium from the burial environment, can affect the results given by this method. I have also undertaken work assessing the potential for the stable strontium isotope ratio (δ⁸⁸Sr) to investigate ancient diets.

I also have a keen interest in the analytical techniques used to measure the various geochemical and isotopic proxies that are utilised in the discipline and a special interest in novel instrumentation and development of new analytical methods.

During my PhD I used TIMS and (MC)-ICPMS for strontium concentration and isotope ratio determinations on teeth and bones both by solution and laser ablation and also developed an improved method for determining strontium isotope ratios by laser ablation. Following my PhD I was part of the research and development team that helped to construct the “Proteus” collision cell MC-ICPMS which combines a quadrupole mass spectrometer and collision cell with a sector field multi-collector mass spectrometer.  

In my current post with the Organic Geochemistry Unit I am continuing to investigate ancient human lifeways and, specifically, subsistence practices, using light isotope techniques. This will focus on compound specific δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N on individual amino-acids using LC-IRMS and GC-C-IRMS. The aim of the project is to calibrate the Δ¹³C_Gly-Phe­ proxy and investigate δ¹⁵N fractionation with trophic level using a set of pig tissues from a modern feeding experiment.