1. What is your dissertation about?
My 3rd year dissertation involved the development of a record of sea surface temperature from the Agulhas current over the Holocene and last deglaciation by looking at the planktonic foraminiferal assemblage of a marine sediment core. To translate for the human geographers: I looked at sea critters down a microscope for two months and used that to look at temperature changes between the last ice age and today.
2. Why is this important?
Two reasons. From a global perspective, the Agulhas current is thought to play a role in modulating climate. Agulhas Current leakage is thought to affect the salinity, and hence circulation, of the North Atlantic, during deglaciations. Yet we know very little about past variability in the current itself. On a regional scale, the Agulhas may have played a role in determining fluctuations in hydroclimate over Southern Africa, with implications for past people, plants, and animals. However, these statements have often been made without reference to any records of changes in the Agulhas current itself. My record, whilst small and pretty low res, might offer some valuable insight into the characteristics of the current.
3. How did you find conducting your research remotely? (Methods, experience, etc)
I was fortunate enough to work in pre-covid times and spent two months in Bergen (Norway) because they had the core. But my work this year is remote and actually it feels very similar. Working to a Cambridge standard without the Cambridge distractions (i.e. formals, societies, cindies) was challenging in Norway and is challenging now. But there are some good things to take from this year. Everyone has been forced into learning methods of data analysis and GIS they otherwise wouldn’t have considered. These are really valuable skills and should give us a leg up in the job/academic market.
4. What would be your advice to current second years planning their dissertation?
Be open to new and scary ideas. Oceans and coasts was my least favourite paper in first year so when my supervisor mentioned the idea I very nearly said no. I’m so glad I didn’t.
Image credit: Zelna Weich
Disclaimer: THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR ONLY AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OR OPINIONS OF COMPASS MAGAZINE AS A WHOLE OR THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY.