Outreach and Media
I have varied and extensive outreach and science communication experience. I am happy to serve as a consultant for projects about pterosaurs, dinosaurs and palaeontology in general. Drop me an email if you are interested.
Microwear Outreach
Much of my outreach as a PhD student has focused on increasing the profile of microwear analysis as an example of how palaeontology is becoming increasingly experimental and quantitative. Myself and Chris Nedza, another Leicester PhD student, therefore created novel outreach activities explaining the basic concepts of microwear analysis, including why palaeontologists use this technique and how they do this. This included 3D printed replicas of microwear surfaces and an activity booklet aimed at 7–10 years olds.
We have taken these activities to several science festivals to great success, including:
Much of my outreach as a PhD student has focused on increasing the profile of microwear analysis as an example of how palaeontology is becoming increasingly experimental and quantitative. Myself and Chris Nedza, another Leicester PhD student, therefore created novel outreach activities explaining the basic concepts of microwear analysis, including why palaeontologists use this technique and how they do this. This included 3D printed replicas of microwear surfaces and an activity booklet aimed at 7–10 years olds.
We have taken these activities to several science festivals to great success, including:
- British Science Festival (2022)
- Hull Science Festival, Hull, UK (2018)
- Warwickshire County Scouts Weekend, Coventry, UK (2018)
- Yorkshire Fossil Festival, Scarborough, UK (2016–2017, 2019)
The University of Leicester team at the 2018 Hull Science Festival in Hull, UK, showcasing our microwear-based outreach activities. L–R: Jacob Embery, Chris Nedza, Neil Adams, Jo Baker, Merry Cave and Jordan Bestwick.
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Front cover of the microwear activity booklet aimed at 7–10 year old children to introduce them to the concepts of microwear research. Please email me if you are interested in downloading a full version.
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Media consultancy
I'm very honoured to share the news that I served as a consultant for the upcoming Netflix series, Life On Our Planet, coming Autumn 2023! This was a small role that included helping the show's researchers from Silverback Films understand the appearance, movements and behaviours of some of their amazing CGI models. I can't wait to see the finished result!
I'm very honoured to share the news that I served as a consultant for the upcoming Netflix series, Life On Our Planet, coming Autumn 2023! This was a small role that included helping the show's researchers from Silverback Films understand the appearance, movements and behaviours of some of their amazing CGI models. I can't wait to see the finished result!
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A still of two Tyrannosaurus rex facing off in the upcoming Life On Our Planet. I consulted on the appearance of other extinct animals on the show and I can't wait to see them in action. Photo credit: Netflix
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Other outreach
- Speaker at the Girls into Geoscience event, hosted by the University of Leicester (online, 18/11/2022)
- Speaker at the first annual Secret Science Show at the Nottingham Natural History Museum (24/05/2022)
- Took part of the inaugural "Specimen Standoff" event at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History (October 2019)
- Three-week education internship at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Canada in June 2017. This included assisting in classes for schools and members of the public about Canadian palaeontology, fossil moulding and tours of the badlands
- Assisting the Palaeontological Association at the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival (2017–2019) and Yorkshire Fossil Festival (2015, 2019)
Part of the Palaeontology Association team at the 2019 Yorkshire Fossil Festival in Scarborough, UK. L–R: Zoe Hughes, Jordan Bestwick, Cecily Nicholl, Susannah Lydon, Jed Atkinson and Lucy McCobb. Image from Jo Hellawell.
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First day of my education internship at the Royal Tyrrell in Drumheller, Canada, in June 2017. The sun was in my eyes when this was taken. Image from Don Henderson.
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Other public engagement
- Invited speaker at the University of Nottingham, Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering seminar (22/10/2019)
- Invited speaker and archosaur palaeobiology discussion member at the sixth annual TetZooCon (19-20/10/2019) (LINK)
- Invited speaker at the Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society (06/02/2019)
- Interview by Elsa Panciroli (The Guardian) for the article "No, these pterosaurs were not Jurassic puffins" (20/06/2018) (LINK)
- Interview by BBC Radio Leicester on how palaeontologists reconstruct the diets of extinct animals and the difficulties they encounter while doing this (07/06/2018)
- Invited speaker at the Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group Annual Meeting (31/01/2018)
- Nature News covered my latest research on pterosaur diets (05/01/2018) (LINK)
- Assisting the University of Leicester on University Open and UCAS days (2015–2019)
- Visiting numerous primary schools across the country to engage with local children about palaeontology, on behalf of the University of Leeds, University of Leicester and the Palaeontological Association (2014–2019)
The TetZooCon archosaur palaeobiology discussion panel. L–R: Chris Barker, Jordan Bestwick, David Hone, Rebecca Lakin, Darren Naish. Image from Georgia Witton-MacLean.