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Sophie Westacott is a Research Associate at the University of Bristol with expertise in silicifying organisms, particularly radiolarians, and their role in understanding ocean silica concentrations. Her research interests encompass paleoclimate studies, isotope geochemistry, micropaleontology, and diagenesis. Dr. Westacott completed her PhD at Yale University under the supervision of Pincelli Hull, where she utilized diagenetic modeling and analyzed IODP/ODP/DSDP data to investigate the effects of changing sedimentation rates and temperatures on deep-sea silica preservation. Following her PhD, she undertook a one-year post-doctoral position with Lidya Tarhan, focusing on core-top radiolarians and d30Si to assess silica isotope fractionation factors. Currently, as part of the University of Bristol’s PETRARCH project, she is developing a d11B paleo-pH proxy using radiolarians to expand the historical records of atmospheric CO2 levels. In 2023, she spent three months in southern France growing polycystine radiolarians to explore their geochemical properties and physiological behavior, thereby enriching the limited laboratory studies in this area.
University of Bristol • Bristol, ENG, GB
Conducting research on silicifying organisms and their impact on paleoclimate.
Department of Physics research themes include Astrophysics, Materials and Devices, Particle Physics, and Quantum and Soft Matter.