- Room 006, Fitzroy, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA
- +44 1752 585975
- J.K.Fisher@plymouth.ac.uk

Profiles
Dr Jodie Fisher
Technical Specialist
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (Faculty of Science and Engineering)
Biography
Biography
I work as a technician for Earth Sciences, supporting staff and students in practical, research and fieldwork activities. I manage the earth science research laboratories, and provide expertise in micropalaeontological and geochemical research techniques, as well as support to palaeontological, mineralogical and sedimentological processing, imaging and analysing.
With a passion for communicating science I also undertake workshops and geoscience sessions for schools, and was co-founder of the Girls into Geoscience initiative, running our annual event and activities.
Qualifications
May 2008 to February 2012: Schools Liaison Officer. I worked within the Faculty of Science and Technology building and maintaining links with local and national schools and colleges. Building our reputation with students and teachers I organised events within the university and out at schools, and provided workshops and resources to schools. Supporting and enhancing the curriculum at primary and secondary school level I aimed to raise aspirations and support both the students and teachers in the teaching and learning of science.
May 2006 to May 2008: Post Doctoral Research Fellow. I worked on this ongoing project with Prof. Malcolm Hart, Dr Chris Smart and Dr Gregory Price and with colleagues from the University of Bristol and Southampton, dating the volcanic events of Monserrat over the last 130,000 years. Using stable and radiogenic isotopes and micropalaeontological techniques a full geochronology of events associated with Montserrat has been defined. This data has also provided information on the mechanisms associated with large scale flows and turbidites in the marine realm, and this work is ongoing.
May 2006: PhD School of Earth Ocean and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth. I undertook my research on the palaeoenvironmental and palaeoceanographic changes surrounding the Cretaceous Cenomanian-Turonian boundary using both foraminiferal and geochemical analysis.
June 1998: BSc(Hons) Geology 2:1, University of Leicester. During my degree I also undertook 8 weeks of geological mapping of Ardnamurchan, NW Scotland, interpreting the geological history of the region.
Awards and Recognition
2018 Athena Swan Panelist
2018 Finalist in the WISE Awards 2018 for the Technician Award
2018 Geological Society of London R H Worth Award for Girls into Geoscience
1998 Rhoda Bennett Award for Best Foreign Field Report
1997 British Micromount Society Award for Best Mineralogy Student in Year 2
Professional membership
Associate Fellow of The Higher Education Academy
Roles on external bodies
I have previously served as a committee member on the Ussher Society
Conference Organised
2010 Ussher Society Conference, Plymouth
Teaching
Teaching
Teaching interests
I have taught on both undergraduate and post graduate modules on:
Research
Research
Research interests
My current research involves using micropalaeontological and isotopic techniques to date and correlate marine cores from the seas around Montserrat, and to constrain the relative ages of volcanic events that are apparent within the cores. This is part of a collaborative and ongoing research project with the University of Bristol, Southampton, Birmingham and Paris, assessing the igneous and volcanic activity of Montserrat.
Other Interests
I am interested in the investigation of past climate and environmental change in the Cretaceous. Using stable isotopes (oxygen and carbon), trace element and foraminiferal analysis to examine the environmental changes and events seen in the Cretaceous, and using foraminiferal biostratigraphy to correlate the events seen globally. I am also interested in the recolonisation of foraminifera after local and global extinction events both in recent times and in the geological past, and the effects this has on foraminiferal evolution.
Grants & contracts
2008 Nuffield Foundation Undergraduate Research Bursary £1440
2007 Research Co-investigator in NERC Isotope Geoscience Facilities project "Tephrochronology of marine sediments around the volcanic island of Montserrat" £17850
2007 Nuffield Foundation Undergraduate Research Bursary £1360
2007 Co-investigator in NERC RCL project "An integrated chronological framework for understanding mass flow events and eruption dynamis at Soufriere Hills Volcano, Montserrat" £20800
2005 Conference grant to attend the 7th International Symposium on the Cretaceous September 2005 (500SFr)
Publications
Publications
Key publications
Key publications are highlighted
JournalsPersonal
Personal
Conferences organised
Other academic activities
Participated on research cruise JC18 on the RRS James Cook 3-16th December 2007
- Soapbox Science Plymouth Art and Science Event: invited speaker at this national event challenging artists and scientists to work together to bring science concepts to the public in exciting, innovative and engaging ways, Sept 2018
- Girls into Geoscience 2018: organiser and workshop presenter (Microfossils and Climate) https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/whats-on/girls-into-geoscience
- British Science Week 2018 Children's Lectures 'Exploring Science': organiser and presenter (Exploring Volcanoes: from myths to massive eruptions) at our annual science week event bring science to children and their families in an accessible and hands on way!https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/whats-on/british-science-week-childrens-lecture-exploring-science
- Children's University workshops: monthly workshops for primary aged children. I have designed hands on activities as workshops for school groups to get hands on with fossils, minerals, dinosaurs and volcanoes!
- Compton Primary School Science Week: Workshops and activities for Foundation, KS1 and KS2 children. Linking learning to both support and enhance the curriculum the children did activities on fossils, minerals and rocks.
- 2017 Children's Christmas Lectures 'Enlightening Science': organiser and presenter (Cretaceous colours: The real colour of dinosaurs)https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/whats-on/2017-childrens-christmas-lecture-enlightening-science
- Children's University workshops: hands on geology activities for KS1 and KS2 children
- Girls into Geoscience 2017: organiser and workshop presenter (Microfossils and Climate https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/whats-on/girls-into-geoscience
- SPRINT programme: invited speaker at the University of Plymouth SPRINT programme, designed to help undergraduates take control of their personal development https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/student-life/your-studies/academic-services/careers-and-employability/sprint
- Women in Business Conference: invited speaker at this University of Plymouth event highlighting my career as a women working in Higher Education
- British Science Week 2017 Children's Lectures 'Evolving Science': organiser and presenter (The secret life of microfossils https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/whats-on/evolving-science
- British Science Week activities: Evolvong Science: I designed, organised and ran microfossil activities for KS2 children as part of our Plymouth Science week activities at City College Plymouth.
- Geohazard workshops for KS3/4: as part of the Devon and Cornwall Outreach Network (DCON) activities, I ran geohazard workshops giving students an insight into volcanic hazards, social and physical implications, and risk management.
- 2016 Children's Christmas Lectures 'Human Nature': organiser and presenter (4.6 billion years of climate change) https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/whats-on/human-nature
- British Science Week 2016 Children's Lectures 'What's on the menu?': organiser and presenter (Jurassic feasts: what did the dinosaurs eat?)https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/whats-on/2016-childrens-lecture-whats-on-the-menu
- British Science Week activities: Whats on the menu: I designed, organised and ran dinosaur activities for KS2 children as part of our Plymouth Science week activities at City College Plymouth.
- Invited lecture Brighton and Hove Geological Society: Foraminiferal Facts: from Cretaceous palaeoclimates to Caribbean Tephrochronology
Links
Earth Sciences at the University of Plymouth
Centre for Research in Earth Science (CRES)