Dr. Peter Bijl

Biography

Peter Bijl is an Associate Professor at Utrecht University in the Department of Earth Sciences, focusing on marine palynology and paleoceanography. His PhD research explored the climatic evolution of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean during the transition from the hot early Eocene to the cooling of the middle and late Eocene. He investigated the role of plate tectonic changes and the opening of critical ocean gateways as well as the decline in atmospheric CO2 concentrations during this period. His postdoctoral work shifted to the icehouse climates of the Southern Hemisphere, particularly the impacts of the Antarctic ice sheet establishment during the early Oligocene on ecosystems and sea-level fluctuations. Between 2013-2017, Peter participated in the NWO-funded VENI postdoctoral program researching Paleocene paleoclimate evolution. He joined the permanent staff of the Department of Earth Sciences in December 2015. His research employs sedimentary archives and methods like palynology, using dinocysts as stratigraphic tools to reconstruct palaeo-environmental conditions. His work is often communicated through various platforms to disseminate scientific findings. Peter has received the Arne Richter Award for outstanding young scientists and the Heineken Young Scientist Award from the Royal Netherlands Society of Sciences. He is currently involved in the OceaNice research project funded by the European Research Council.

Research Interests

Experience

Awards