Faculty Emerging Researchers of the Year - Science

Dr Gavin Rishworth

As ecologist Dr Rishworth researches modern coastal microbialites as living analogues of Earth’s earliest ecosystems, which have existed for at least 3.45 billion years.  He studies why modern microbialites are able to form, and how metazoan behaviours affect their layered growth (stromatolites).  This palaeoecological link assists in understanding the drivers of microbialite biodiversity during past and current environments, and how this might impact coastal ecosystems under changing climatic conditions.

Nature mesmerised me as a child – I’m inspired wondering whether someone might find similar fascination from something my research uncovered.