Current Postgraduate Students

Mr Christopher Darvill

Research Postgraduate (PhD) in the Department of Geography

Telephone: +44 (0) 191 33 41872

Fax: +44 (0) 191 33 41801

Room number: W102

(email at christopher.darvill@durham.ac.uk)

Biography

2011 - Present: Ph.D. Geography, Durham University

2010 - 2011: M.Sc. Quaternary Science (Distinction), RHUL & UCL

2007 - 2010: B.Sc. Geography (1st Class), University of Exeter

Current Research

Ph.D. (NERC-funded)

Quaternary Glacial and Environmental Change in southernmost South America

(supervisors: Prof. Mike Bentley, Dr Chris Stokes; external supervisor: Dr Tim Barrows)

This project aims to improve our understanding of ice advances across Tierra del Fuego and southernmost Patagonia during the Quaternary period (last 2.4 million years). Extensive fieldwork combining glacial geomorphology and dating techniques such as cosmogenic isotope analysis of outwash deposits will help to clarify both the nature and timing of successive glaciations and the palaeoclimatic and environmental changes responsible for them.

You can read a blog about my 2013 fieldwork experiences by clicking here.

Previous research

M.Sc. thesis (NERC-funded)

"The Lateglacial at Star Carr: A Sedimentological and Stable Isotopic Investigation of Palaeoenvironmental Change in Northeast England"

(supervisors: Dr Ian Candy, Dr Adrian Palmer, Dr Ian Matthews, Dr Simon Blockley)

B.Sc. thesis

"Palaeoenvironmental and Climatic Reconstruction of Late Devensian and Holocene Change in Northern Skye: A Multiproxy Approach"

(supervisors: Dr Richard Jones, Prof. Chris Turney)

Joint-winner of the 2010 QRA Undergraduate Dissertation Prize

Vacation Research Bursary, 2009 (BBSRC-funded)

"Investigation of uncertainties in measurement of mineral nitrogen compounds in soils using water and potassium chloride extraction methods"

(supervisors: Dr Jane Hawkins, Dr Martin Blackwell)

Funding

NERC algorithm studentship with Durham University (2011-2015)
RGS Dudley Stamp Memorial Award for cosmogenic depth-profile analysis (£500)
BSG Postgraduate Research Grant for cosmogenic depth-profile analysis (£1000)
Santander Mobility Grant for collaborative research in Latin America (£625)
NERC Cosmogenic Isotope Analysis Support 9127/1012 for exposure dating outwash depth-profiles in Tierra del Fuego, with Mike Bentley (£17,120)
Durham University Geography Postgraduate Fund for visiting academics in Ushuaia, Argentina (£500)
Durham University FoSS Projects and Initiatives Scheme for 2013 fieldwork (£525)
QRA New Research Workers' Award for 2013 fieldwork (£500)
Explorers Club Exploration Grant for 2013 fieldwork (£944)
NERC 0.5 Masters studentship with Royal Holloway / UCL (2010-2011)
BBSRC vacation bursary with Exeter University & Rothamstead Research (2009)

Conference Presentations, Posters and Short Publications

Candy, I., Blockley, S., Matthews, I., Palmer, A., Darvill, C. "Tracking abrupt climate shifts with stable isotopes in lacustrine sediments: geochemical evidence for dynamic temperature, precipitation and seasonality regimes during the last deglaciation (8 to 15ka BP)" EGU General Assembly, 2013 (Presentation by Candy, I.)
Candy, I., Blockley, S., Matthews, I., Palmer, A., Darvill, C. "Tracking abrupt climate shifts with stable isotopes: geochemical evidence for dynamic temperature, precipitation and seasonality regimes during the last deglaciation (8 to 15ka BP)" QRA Annual Discussion Meeting at Newcastle & Northumbria Universities, 2013 (Presentation by Candy, I.)
Candy, I., Blockley, S., Matthews, I., Palmer, A., Darvill, C. "Tracking abrupt climate shifts with stable isotopes: geochemical evidence for dynamic temperature, precipitation and seasonality regimes during the last deglaciation (8 to 15ka BP)" AGU Fall Meeting, 2012 (Presentation by Candy, I.)
Darvill, C. "Quaternary glacial and environmental change in Tierra del Fuego, southern South America", QRA Postgraduate Conference, University of Aberdeen, 2012 (Poster & Presentation with Bentley, M.J. & Stokes, C.R.). Winner of prize for best poster.
Darvill, C. (2012) "Geoconservation for Science and Society: Conference Report", QRA Newsletter, v.127, p.27-30
Darvill, C. "The importance of preserving sedimentary records: A new study of the Lateglacial at Star Carr, North Yorkshire", Geoconservation for Science and Society, University of Worcester, 2011 (Poster & Abstract with Candy, I., Matthews, I., Palmer, A. & Blockley, S.)
Darvill, C. “1.1 Million Years of Glacial and Environmental Change in southern South America” APECS Remote Sensing Summer School, University of Reading, 2011 (Poster & Abstract)
Darvill, C. (2011) "Palaeoenvironmental and climatic reconstruction of Late Devensian and Holocene change in Skye: a multiproxy approach", QRA Newsletter, v.124, p.66, 2010 prize abstracts

Memberships

Postgraduate Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society

Postgraduate Member of the: