BSc (1987) University of Southampton, UK PhD (1991) Cardiff University, Wales, UK Postdoctoral Research Assistant, The Natural History Museum, London (1991-1992) Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Cardiff University, Wales, UK (1994-1997) Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader and Professor, Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield (1997-present)

My research addresses the highly topical and controversial problem of the origin and early evolution of land plants. My research integrates evidence from both fossil and living plants. Fossil evidence is in the form of early land plant megafossils and dispersed microfossils—spores and fragments. I am currently working on material from China, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Kazakhstan and Spitsbergen. I study living plants in order to interpret the earliest land plant fossils through, specifically: cladistic analyses of evolutionary relationships molecular clock analyses of evolutionary divergence times analysis of physiological adaptations required for plants to invade the land (particularly Evo-Devo studies on the molecular genetics of spore/pollen wall development). I am also exploring the impact of the invasion of the land by plants on global change. This has led to research into developing a novel (and currently only) proxy for past UV-B radiation. In recent years I have also extended my research back in time to examine a previously neglected research area considering the ‘algal scum’ that inhabited the land before it was invaded by plants.