Ph.D. Candidate Geology 

Supervisors: Dr. Duncan McIlroy, Dr. Rod S. Taylor, Dr. Suzanne Dufour

Thesis Title: A petrographic approach to understanding the taphonomy and ecology of the deep marine Ediacaran strata of the Avalon and Bonavista peninsulas of Newfoundland.

About me: I enjoy studying and learning about the ancient environments of different geological times, scales and places. Reconstructing the geodynamic and depositional history of a sedimentary basin is just as much fun for me as looking for microfossils. Scanning electron microscopy, petrography and (chemical/mechanic) extraction of microfossils are my favourite approaches to analyzing any sample. Though, I am always on the lookout for improvements, new techniques and ideas!

When I am not busy getting lost in any of my side projects, such as helping students/colleagues with research or with public outreach activities, I am assessing the microbiota and microfacies of classical and new outcrops of Precambrian sediments of the Avalon and Bonavista Peninsulas. Some of the most iconic Ediacaran rock successions have been deemed not to contain any microfossils - I strongly disagree with this presumption! My research and findings aim to develop a better understanding of what the ocean floor environmentat looked like for the legendary Ediacaran macrofossils of Newfoundland, how they lived and how they were perserved.

If you have any questions about microscopic fossils or my research, feel free to reach out to me: polschewski@mun.ca

Follow me and our research group on twitter for the most recent updates:

@MUNpaleobiology

@Paleo_Pascal