Professor Kirsty Edgar PhD

Professor Kirsty Edgar

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Professor in Micropalaeontology
Head of Research in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Contact details

Email
k.m.edgar@bham.ac.uk
Twitter
Address
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
University 麻豆精选
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Kirsty specializes in foraminiferal micropalaeontology and palaeoclimate reconstructions. The overall goal of her research is to unravel the complex interplay between life and climate ranging from the modern day back through millions of years. Her current research has three interleaved strands building off these core expertise and interests:

[1] What did marine ecosystems in the past look like and how did they operate?

[2] What did past high-CO2 worlds (Mesozoic and Cenozoic) look like and how did they operate?

[3] How do we record, conserve and communicate palaeontological heritage?

Qualifications

  • 2018 - Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (Distinction), University 麻豆精选; Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy; Staff and Educational Development Association accreditation
  • 2009 – PhD University of Southampton
  • 2004 – MSci (First Class) Royal Holloway, University of London

Biography

2024-聽 Professor in Micropalaeontology, University 麻豆精选

2019-2024 鈥� Associate Professor in Micropalaeontology, University 麻豆精选

2017-2019 鈥� Lecturer in Micropalaeontology, University 麻豆精选

2016鈥�2017 鈥� Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellow and Proleptic Lecturer in Micropalaeontology, University 麻豆精选

2014-2016 鈥� Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellow, University of Bristol

2011-2014 鈥� NERC Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Cardiff University

2008-2011 鈥� NERC Research Associate, University of Southampton (Advisor: Prof. Heiko P盲like)

2009 鈥� Ph.D, University of Southampton (Advisor: Prof. Paul Wilson)

2008 (June 鈥� August), WUN International Research Fellow, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego (Advisors: Prof. Dick Norris & Dr Philip Sexton)

2004 鈥� MSci (First Class Hons), Royal Holloway, University of Londo

Teaching

Kirsty teaches on the following topics:

  • Micropalaeontology
  • Palaeoclimates
  • Palaeoecology
  • Research, field and museum skills

Postgraduate supervision

Kirsty Edgar is interested in:

[1] Understanding the timing and nature of the interaction between global climate, geochemical cycling, and biota during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. A major research focus is elucidating the dynamics and consequences of transient climate events in the geological record and the evolution of planktic foraminifera.
[2] Conservation of palaeontological heritage: focussed on how we identify, record, conserve and communicate palaeontological heritage. Current work integrates digital techniques into site management plans alongside heritage-monitoring bodies and understanding the scientific and cultural value of palaeontological sites.

If you are interested in exploring opportunities to join the Palaeobiology group here at Birmingham as a graduate student, postdoc or if you looking for somewhere new for a research visit or sabbatical then please get in touch.

Research

Kirsty specializes in foraminiferal micropalaeontology and palaeoclimate reconstructions. The overall goal of her research is to unravel the complex interplay between life and climate ranging from the modern day back through millions of years.

Her current research has three interleaved strands building off these core expertise and interests:

[1] Biodiversity and evolution of past marine ecosystems: focussed on understanding how past marine ecosystems looked and operated. This includes elucidating the taxonomy and ecology of planktic foraminifera (marine microplankton) and the response of a wider group of organisms and ecosystems to abrupt environmental change in the past.

[2] Nature and operation of past high-CO2 worlds: focussed on uncovering how high-CO2 worlds looked and operated (based on microfossil, geochemical and sedimentological records). Specific contributions relate to the relationship between temperature, CO2, ice sheet growth and biogeochemical cycling in the Cenozoic and understanding the fidelity of geochemical and biological records for environmental reconstruction.

[3] Conservation of palaeontological heritage: a new area of work focussed on how we identify, record, conserve and communicate palaeontological heritage. Current work integrates digital techniques into site management plans alongside heritage-monitoring bodies and understanding the scientific and cultural value of palaeontological sites.

Other activities

  • 2021 - Subject Editor (micropalaeontology and palaeoclimatology) for the Journal of The Geological Society of London.
  • 2020-2021 Member of the Midlands Innovation, Policy Commission focussed on the advancement of the technical community.
  • 2019 - Member of the Stratigraphy Commission of The Geological Society of London.
  • 2017 - Planktic foraminiferal biostratigrapher on Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 369: Australia Cretaceous climates and tectonics (26 Sep-26 Nov.).
  • 2017- Advisory board member of Mikrotax (http://mikrotax.org/)
  • 2017-2020 - International member of the Joides Resolution Science Operator Geology Laboratory Working Group
  • 2016 - Planktic Foraminiferal Editor for the
  • 2014-2016 - The Micropalaeontological Society (TMS) Events Secretary
  • 2012-2014 - TMS Foraminifera Group Secretary
  • 2009 - Planktic foraminiferal biostratigrapher on Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 320:Pacific Equatorial Age Transect (5 March-5 May)
  • Member of The Micropalaeontological Society (2004- ), Geologists Association (2017- ), The Paleontological Association (2014- ), The Cushman Foundation (2014- ), Geological Society of America (2015- ) and The American Geophysical Union (2006- )

Publications

Recent publications

Article

Jonkers, L, Strack, T, Alonso-Garcia, M, D'haenens, S, Huber, R, Kucera, M, Hern谩ndez-Almeida, I, Jones, C, Metcalfe, B, Saraswat, R, Silye, L, Verma, S, Naim Abd Malek, M, Auer, G, Barbosa, C, Carcena, M, Baumann, K-H, Boscolo-Galazzo, F, Calvelo, J, Capotondi, L, Caratelli, M, Cardich, J, Carvajal-Chitty, H, Chroustova, M, Coxall, HK, de Mello, R, de Vernal, A, Diz, P, Edgar, K, Filipsson, H, Fragaus, A, Furlong, H, Galli, G, Garc铆a Chapori, N, Granger, R, Groenveld, J, Imam, A, Jackson, R, Lazarus, D, Meilland, J, Mol膷an Matejov谩, M, Morard, R, Morigi, C, Nielsen, S, Ochoa, D, Petrizzo, MR, Rigual-Hern谩ndez, A, Rillo, M, Statis, M, Tan谋k, G, Tapia, R, Vats, N, Wade, B & Weinmann, A 2025, '', Journal of Micropalaeontology, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 145-168.

Edgar, K, Butler, R, Larwood, J & Smith, J 2025, '', Proceedings of the Geologists' Association.

Woodhouse, A, Wade, BS, Dunkley Jones, T, Hoorn, C & Edgar, K 2025, '', Journal of Micropalaeontology, vol. 44, no. 2, pp. 601-632.

Dixon, JD, Meek, A, Clatworthy, J & Edgar, K 2024, '', The Geological Curator. <>

Butler, RJ, Edgar, KM, Haller, L, Meade, LE, Jones, HT, Hill, O, Scriven, S & Reedman, C 2024, '', Royal Society Open Science, vol. 11, no. 7, 240583.

De Lira Mota, M, Dunkley Jones, T, Sulaiman, N, Edgar, K, Yamaguchi, T, Leng, MJ, Adloff, M, Greene, S, Norris, R, Warren, B, Duffy, G, Farrant, J, Murayama, M, Hall, J & Bendle, J 2023, '', Nature Communications, vol. 14, no. 1, 4748.

Edgar, K, Haller, L, Cashmore, D, Dunne, E & Butler, R 2023, '', Journal of the Geological Society.

Edgar, K, Meade, L, Jones, H, Haller, L, Scriven, S, Reedman, C & Butler, R 2023, '', Proceedings of the Geologists' Association.

Taylor, V, Westerhold, T, Bohaty, SM, Backman, J, Dunkley Jones, T, Edgar, K, Egan, K, Lyle, MW, Palike, H, R枚hl, U, Zachos, J & Wilson, PA 2023, '', Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology, vol. 38, no. 6, e2022PA004493.

Edgar, K, MacLeod, KG, Hasegawa, T, Hanson, E, Boomer, I & Kirby, N 2022, '', Proceedings of the International Ocean Discovery Program, vol. 369.

Kearns, L, Bohaty, SM, Edgar, K & Ezard, T 2022, '', Paleobiology.

Chapter (peer-reviewed)

Bown, P, Coe, A, Cope, J, Edgar, K, Harper, D, Marshall, J, Wakefield, M, Pearson, PN & Zalasiewicz, J 2022, . in AL Coe (ed.), Deciphering Earth's History: the Practice of Stratigraphy. Geoscience in Practice, Geological Society of London. <>

Shields, GA, Edgar, K, Ratcliffe, K & Dahl, T 2022, . in Deciphering Earth's History: the Practice of Stratigraphy. Geoscience in Practice, Geological Society of London, London. <>

Other contribution

Edgar, K & Murdock, D 2025, . The Conversation . <>

Review article

Edgar, KM, Grigoratou, M, Monteiro, FM, Barrett, R, Ying, R & Schmidt, DN 2025, '', Biogeosciences, vol. 22, no. 14, pp. 3463-3483.