PhD Geology Candidate
Room Number: ER-6012
Email: cmckean@mun.ca

Thesis Title: Taphonomy, taxonomy and geoconservation of the 'Upper Island Cove' Ediacaran fossil assemblage

Supervisor(s): Duncan McIlroy, Rod Taylor

Current Research: My research focuses on the exceptionally preserved fossils of Upper Island Cove, Newfoundland. Like better known fossil sites in Newfoundland, such as Mistaken Point and the Discovery UNESCO Global Geopark, Upper Island Cove preserves the remains of the earliest known complex macroscopic organisms on planet Earth, the Ediacaran biota. Through my research we are learning more about how the site at Upper Island Cove formed, what species are found there, how it compares to other sites in Newfoundland and, maybe most importantly, how it can be conserved for future generations to come.

Academic/Career goals - I have always been a strong advocate of scientific communication to the general public and can often been found giving public talks and tours on the geology and palaeontology of Newfoundland. Palaeontology is the perfect platform for getting people interested in science and as such I am aiming for a job post-PhD (whether in academia or elsewhere) that allows me to combine my passions of Scientific Communication and Palaeontology!