PhD: MSc: The small carbonaceous fossil record of the Ordovician of Manitoba

​Small Carbonaceous Fossils (SCFs) have proven to be a key source of information about the early evolution of soft-bodied animals, complementing the macroscopic fossil record, and have yielded ​​​unique insights about groups otherwise absent from the fossil record. This project will contribute important new information about SCF diversity during the Great Ordovician Biodiversification, which has been the focus of relatively few prior studies.

The successful candidate will develop a protocol for extracting Small Carbonaceous Fossils (SCFs) from carbonate rocks of three significant Ordovician Lagerstätten in Manitoba (William Lake, Airport Cove, and Cat Head). The candidate will compare the diversity of the SCF assemblages using appropriate statistical techniques in the R programming environment and will learn geochemical methods to infer the palaeoenvironmental conditions that characterized each site. They will also have the opportunity to learn museum collections management and science communication skills at the Manitoba Museum.

We are seeking a motivated student who has completed a Bachelor's degree in Earth Sciences or related disciplines and has interest in gaining micropalaeontological and/or geochemical experience.

Please note: This is an MSc project, rather than a PhD.