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Department of Geography

 

Dr Joshua Pike BSc, MSc, PhD

Laboratory and Field Senior Technician

Josh provides laboratory and field expertise to support the department. He is a Quaternary geochronologist, sedimentologist, and glacial geomorphologist interested in the mechanism of past ice-sheet dynamics in South America and Europe using varved sediments and tephrochronology.

Biography

Career

  • 04.2022-present: Laboratory and Field Senior Technician: Geography, University of Cambridge
  • 09.2017-03.2022: PhD Geography: Royal Holloway, University of London
  • 02.2021-05.2021: Research officer (UKRI policy internship): Northern Ireland Assembly, Research and Information Service

Qualifications

  • PhD Geography: Royal Holloway, University of London
  • MSc Quaternary Science: Royal Holloway, University of London
  • BSc (Hons.) Geography: Swansea University

Awards

  • 2021: QRA New Research Workers Award
  • 2021: UKRI Policy Internship: Northern Ireland Assembly

Research

My primary research expertise lies in tephrochronology and annually laminated (varved) sediments. I have worked across Europe and southern South America using tephra layers and varve records to test regional climatic (a)synchronicity.

My recent research has focused on extending the varve record for Lago Buenos Aires (Argentina)/General Carrera (Chile), to assess glacier dynamics and responses during the last deglaciation. This included the characterisation and correlation of visible and non-visible (crypto-) tephra layers, counting and measuring varve lake sediments and mapping glacial landforms.

Publications

Journal articles

  • Carter-Champion, A., Abrook, A., Pike, J. H., Matthews, I. P., Palmer, A. P. and Lowe, J. J. (2021) Ice-sheet deglaciation and Loch Lomond Readvance in the eastern Cairngorms: implications of a Lateglacial sediment record from Glen Builg. Journal of Quaternary Science. In review.
  • Thorndycraft, V.R., Bendle, J.M., Matthews, I.P., Palmer, A.P., Benito, G., Davies, B.J., Sancho, C., Pike, J.H., Martin, J.R., Fabel, D. and Medialdea, A. (2019) Reply to comments by Bourgois et al. (2019) on: Glacial lake evolution and Atlantic-Pacific drainage reversals during deglaciation of the Patagonia Ice Sheet. Quaternary Science Reviews, 213, pp.171-177.

Policy publications

  • Pike, J. H. (2021) Gambling in Northern Ireland: a statistical overview. Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe) briefing paper. (internal publication)
  • Pike, J. H. (2021) Peatlands: What are they, where are they, and why do they matter? Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe) research matters blog post.
  • Pike, J. H. (2021) Peat and Peatlands. Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe) briefing paper.
  • Pike, J. H. (2021) Anaerobic Digestion in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe) briefing paper.
  • Cave, S. and Pike, J. H. (2021) Northern Ireland and Net Zero. Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe) briefing paper.

External activities

Memberships:

  • Quaternary Research Association (QRA)
  • British Society of Geomorphology (BSG)