To address the main research goal, and the specific Research Objectives (ROs), a series of tasks included in different work packages were performed:
1) Establishment of a new time efficient methodology to separate two different coccolith size-fractions: very fine (VF, < 4μm) and very coarse (VC, ~7-10 μm).
2) Generation of a long record of size-specific coccolith (VF and VC) carbon and oxygen isotopes (δ13C and δ18O).
3) Production of a long record of Reticulofenesta spp. size at IODP Site U1482. It was complemented by studying extant calcification patterns for the cosmopolitan species Emiliania huxleyi (Saavedra-Pellitero et al., 2019; Vollmar et al., 2022).
4) Generation of VF and VF long records of size-specific coccolith Sr/Ca ratios.
Despite the COVID-19 Pandemic, lockdown and the multiple personal challenges that the Fellow went through (bereavement, COVID-19 Lockdown, maternity and caring responsibilities), we consider that NannoChem ROs were extraordinarily well met, as shown by the dissemination of scientific results, including the available papers as well as the upcoming publications.
Attendance to conferences has been very limited since 2020 due to COVID-19. Still, the Fellow managed to present her research in several online meetings. These are:
- European Geosciences Union General Assembly (2021, virtual, Vienna, Austria).
- The Micropaleontological Society Foraminifera and Nannofossil Groups Joint Spring Meetings (2019 Nottingham, UK; 2020, virtual, London, UK.).
- IODP UK meeting (2020 virtual, London, UK).
- International Nannoplankton Association meeting (2019, Santos, Brazil).
The Fellow also contributed to pieces of research presented (or to be presented) by some of her collaborators in the following international conferences:
- American Geophysical Union Fall meeting (2022, Chicago, USA)
- American Geophysical Union Fall meeting (2021, New Orleans, USA)
The Fellow was also an invited speaker in several occasions:
- 26/03/2021 The Paleontological Society of India (virtual), India
- 28/05/2020 University College London (virtual), UK
- 06/12/2019 National Oceanography Centre Southampton, UK
- 15-20/09/2019 Keynote invited speaker at the 17th INA meeting, Santos, Brazil
The Fellow delivered a series of peer reviewed papers and cruise reports since the beginning of NannoChem project (September 2019) with her University of Birmingham affiliation (see publications section). There are other manuscripts still in preparation due to the early termination of the NannoChem project.
To disseminate the results of Nannochem, the Fellow also presented her knowledge to the general public in different outreach initiatives:
- 07/2022 Organiser of a visit to the Lapworth Museum for Marie S. Curie Fellows.
- 04/2021 – Present Social media manager of the Marie Curie Association at the University of Birmingham twitter account (@MscaUob).
- 04/2021 Comic “How green were the oceans in the past?” in “Past Global Changes Horizons” vol. 1.
- 01/2021 “Lockdown coccos” online exhibition at the Lapworth Museum (University of Birmingham).
- 11/2020 Once upon a Time. Short stories for kids written by scientists.
- 02/2021 Lyme Regis Fossil Festival.
- 09/2020 Climate Crunching Coccolithophores. Science Zumba AlgoRHYTHM! From Home week 7.
- 10/2019 “[Redacted] Night Tour” theater play at the Lapworth Museum (volunteer):
- 05-07/2019 Scientist selected for the science documentary filmed by Maylo Films (USA) onboard the research vessel JOIDES Resolution during IODP Expedition 383.
